Mumbai: First, there was weddings.com. Now, in the light of white collar crimes committed on the pretext of seeking a match on various matrimonial websites, the need has arisen for a ShaadiVerify.com. As the name suggests, this site is a pre-matrimonial verification agency, which claims three per cent of online matrimonial profiles are fake and likely to result in scams.
The pre-matrimonial verification agency has taken up several cases since its launch in August and has observed that eight out of ten cases are potential romance scams. A detailed survey has further revealed the party that requested an investigation of the backgrounds of individuals, were correct about their suspicions.
The agency anonymously verifies individuals and profiles them at the request of its clients, who are usually skeptical about their prospective in-laws. As per a recent report, in Maharashtra, 96 matrimonial fraud cases have been registered between 2015 and May 2018, of which only 43 were detected. This points to the fact that the detection rate of such crimes is low, and it is best to proceed with caution to avoid falling prey to this scam.
Romance scams are as dangerous as any other or even worse because not only is the victim financially exploited but is also left with a lasting emotional scar, said a senior cypberpolice officer. “Matrimonial fraud is estimated to grow faster than any other white-collared crime in the country. Unfortunately, not all victims come forward and report the crime,” said the officer.
Cyberexpert Haren Das is of opinion, the phenomenal success and popularity of many online matrimonial sites, as well as other dating apps, have opened newer avenues for fraudsters to scam vulnerable women and men. Das said, “For the victim, the unfortunate part at the end of the ordeal is that they are left with not just empty bank accounts, but also a broken heart. This kind of fraud has gained ground and has become an organized crime. The nature of this scam plays on individual’s vulnerability.”
The modus operandi of fraudsters committing romance scams is essentially identifying a vulnerable party and emotionally making way into their life, to eventually dupe them. The biggest factor that favours or helps such fraudsters in carrying on with their crimes is lack of information about their backgrounds. In many cases, fraudsters falsify their identities and mislead their victims to exploit them.