A Bengaluru man has shared how a seemingly genuine interaction on a dating app turned into a coordinated scam, after a woman he had been speaking to allegedly persuaded him to make an online payment for a package. The woman and another man involved in the transaction reportedly disappeared after the payment was made.
The incident, shared in a post on Reddit, has drawn attention to how dating app users can be manipulated through seemingly harmless requests before meeting in person.
The man said he matched with a woman named Shelly on a dating app and continued speaking with her for several days. Although his busy work schedule initially prevented them from meeting, he eventually arranged to meet her when he had time off.
Before the meeting, however, Shelly reportedly asked him to collect a package from a man named Ron. She told him that he would need to make the payment online and that she would reimburse him in cash.
The request initially appeared unusual to the man, but he said he did not question it strongly because Shelly gave him an explanation for why she preferred paying in cash. According to his account, she claimed that her mother ran a business and that she had more cash available than money online.
The man then went to the location provided by Shelly, where he met Ron. He said Ron told him that the package was being prepared and asked him to make the payment in the meantime.
Although the situation made him suspicious, the man eventually transferred the money.
During the transaction, he remained in contact with Shelly, who was reportedly at another location. After the payment, she allegedly made another request, asking him to purchase cigarettes because she had forgotten to order them.
When the man returned, he discovered that both Shelly and Ron had become unreachable and had blocked him.
The victim later concluded that the two individuals were likely working together and that the interaction had been planned to obtain money from him.
The incident highlights a common pattern seen in social-engineering scams: fraudsters first establish trust and create a sense of familiarity before introducing a financial request. The request may initially appear small or reasonable, making the victim less likely to recognise it as a scam.
Dating app users should be particularly cautious when someone they have never met asks them to make payments, collect packages, transfer money or purchase goods on their behalf. Requests involving a third party should also be treated as a warning sign, particularly when the payment is expected to be made online before the goods or service are verified.
Users should avoid transferring money to unknown individuals based solely on instructions received through a dating app or messaging platform. Any suspicious transaction should be reported promptly to the platform and the relevant cybercrime authorities.
In India, victims of online financial fraud can report incidents through the national cybercrime helpline 1930 and the government’s cybercrime reporting system. Prompt reporting can be important in helping authorities trace fraudulent transactions and potentially recover funds.
