India is currently facing a surge in online scams, with numerous cases being reported daily of individuals falling victim to cyber predators and losing significant amounts of money. What adds to the severity of these scams is that scammers not only exploit people financially but also manipulate their emotions and vulnerabilities. An example of this is a recent incident involving a mechanical engineer from Visakhapatnam, also known as Vizag. He was conned out of Rs 28 lakh by a fraudulent love interest he encountered on a dating application.
Online dating scam
As per reports from the Deccan Chronicle, the details of this romance scam emerged when the victim, an unmarried mechanical engineer, lodged a complaint with the Vizag city police regarding the loss of Rs 28 lakh. Following an investigation, the police were able to identify Kommagoni Lokesh, a 25-year-old individual from Narketpalli in Telangana’s Nalgonda district, as one of the culprits involved in the scam. Lokesh was part of a gang consisting of three members. These members targeted unsuspecting individuals through online dating platforms. While the case remains under scrutiny, law enforcement authorities have disclosed the scammers’ employment of a new tactic centered around romantic deception to defraud people. The authorities disclosed that in this specific romance scam, the perpetrators fabricated false identities on multiple dating platforms. These identities commonly showcased appealing images of women with the intention of enticing unsuspecting individuals. Upon initiating contact, the scammers interacted with the target through regular and personal correspondence, swiftly cultivating reliance and emotional bonds.
