A 67-year-old man in Delhi was allegedly defrauded of ₹1.30 lakh after being lured through a fake profile on a dating app, in a case that ended with his phone stolen at a Defence Colony restaurant and money moved out of his bank account through UPI shortly after. The South-West Cyber Police Station has arrested two women in connection with the alleged fraud.
How the Scheme Allegedly Unfolded
The accused have been identified as 26-year-old Jyotsna and 21-year-old Mansi, both Delhi residents. Police recovered two mobile phones from their possession during the arrest.
According to investigators, Jyotsna created a fake profile on a dating app and used it to make contact with the elderly victim. Over time, she built up a rapport with him and arranged in-person meetings, eventually bringing her associate Mansi into the scheme as well.
The two allegedly met the victim on July 20 and again on July 24, when they joined him for dinner at a restaurant in Defence Colony. It was during or shortly after that meeting that his mobile phone was allegedly stolen. With access to the device, the accused reportedly got into his banking facilities and transferred roughly ₹1.30 lakh out of his accounts via UPI.
Following the Money
Investigators found that the defrauded funds were first credited to one accused's bank account before being moved to another. Tracing that banking trail turned out to be a key lead in identifying both women's involvement in the case.
The investigation drew on a mix of evidence, banking records, KYC documents, CCTV footage, and technical surveillance, all of which helped police piece together the financial transactions and mobile activity connected to the suspects before ultimately tracing them down.
During questioning, police found that the pair had specifically used the fake dating profile to build trust with the victim before arranging meetings that led directly to the alleged fraud. Investigators are now checking whether Jyotsna and Mansi were involved in similar schemes targeting other victims, and whether a wider network may be involved.
A Growing Pattern in Dating App Fraud
Cases like this reflect a broader trend cybercrime investigators have been flagging: fraudsters using attractive or entirely fictitious profiles to build relationships with potential victims, then exploiting the trust once it's established, often by gaining physical access to a phone, payment apps, cards, or banking information during an in-person meeting.
In a separate, unrelated incident that recently circulated widely on social media, a young man said his first date through a dating app ended with a ₹20,500 bill after his date reportedly ordered expensive champagne, hookahs, and food at a pub, sparking a broader online conversation about dating etiquette and the need for caution when meeting people from these platforms.
What Investigators Are Advising
Cybercrime officials are urging users to independently verify the identity of anyone they meet through online dating platforms, and to avoid sharing banking credentials, passwords, UPI PINs, or other sensitive information under any circumstances. They also recommend keeping mobile phones under one's own control at all times during in-person meetings, particularly since most devices now carry direct access to banking and payment apps.
Police say the investigation into the ₹1.30 lakh fraud is ongoing, with financial transactions, digital evidence, and possible links to other cases still being examined. As with any case at this stage, the allegations against the two accused are yet to be established in court.
FAQs
Q1. How was the 67-year-old victim allegedly defrauded?
He was contacted through a fake dating app profile, met the accused in person twice, and had his phone stolen during a restaurant meeting, after which ₹1.30 lakh was transferred from his bank account via UPI.
Q2. Who has been arrested in this case?
Two women, 26-year-old Jyotsna and 21-year-old Mansi, both Delhi residents, have been arrested by the South-West Cyber Police Station.
Q3. How did police trace the accused?
Investigators followed the banking trail of the transferred funds, alongside KYC documents, CCTV footage, and technical surveillance linked to the suspects' phones and accounts.
Q4. What precautions do cybercrime officials recommend for online dating?
They advise verifying the identity of people met online, never sharing banking credentials or UPI PINs, and keeping mobile phones under one's own control during in-person meetings.