Chandigarh: 64-year-old looks for romance in dating club, loses Rs 21 lakh

CHANDIGARH: A prospect of becoming a member of an online dating club that will allow him to go out with women cost a 64-year-old city resident Rs 21 lakh in a fraud spanning more than two years.
On June 12, 2019, the man, who refused to give his identity, got a call from a woman calling herself Neha offering him membership of the club. Initially, he refused. She again called him up, assuring a membership for Rs 1,030 to enable him to take a woman on foreign tours thrice in a year at her cost, he alleged in his complaint.
The man transferred the fee in a bank account and was sent three pictures to choose one for dating, he alleged. The cheater allegedly told him to deposit Rs 10,000 as “his profile was bought by a woman for Rs 20,000”. When he did so, he was told a time was fixed to date the woman.
Later, Neha told him the woman had allegedly deposited Rs 64,000 for her security and he has to pay Rs 32,500, which will be refunded. After some time, the man got a call from one Sameer Kumar asking him to pay for one of three categories of club cards costing Rs 79,800, Rs 69,800 and Rs 49,800, the complaint alleged.
He refused and tried to contact Neha, who did not answer his call. After 15 days, Neha called him up. The man alleged when he asked her to close his profile, she told him to deposit Rs 8,300 and late fee. She then again demanded money. When he refused, the cheaters allegedly threatened to file a suit against him and upload his profile on internet to defame him.
The man said he deposited Rs 6 lakh, Rs 3.20 lakh and 2.55 lakhs in different bank accounts provided by the cheaters over a period of time. He said he borrowed from his friends and relatives, claiming he lost a total of Rs 21 lakh in the fraud. In December 2021, he filed a complaint at the SSP public window. Police registered a case.