Love or Loot? 500 People Trapped on Dating Apps, ₹200 Crore Scam Uncovered

The desire to find love online has now become a major tool for cyber criminals. What starts with sweet messages like “I love you,” “Future together,” and “Trust me” can quickly turn into a life-destroying scam. In Mira Road, a well-planned cyber fraud gang used attractive fake profiles on dating and matrimonial apps to build emotional trust. Once the victims believed them, the gang pushed them to invest money in fake schemes related to the stock market, gold trading, and forex trading. The promised profits were completely false. This was not just financial fraud—it was emotional manipulation that left many families broken and financially ruined.

A Hotel Room Became the Gang’s Fraud Control Center

On the 12th of the month, the gang was operating its scam from a hotel room on the Mira Road Highway. After receiving a secret tip, the police raided the hotel and arrested five members on the spot. During further investigation, two more were captured, taking the total arrests to seven. Police recovered strong digital evidence, including laptops, mobile phones, hundreds of SIM cards, and details of fake investment websites. These websites looked very real and professional, making it easy to fool innocent people. The gang promoted these fake platforms aggressively on Instagram and Facebook to pull more victims into their trap.

Scam Spread Across 11 States, Money Moved Through Crypto

According to police records, 51 cases across 11 Indian states have already been solved, confirming a scam amount of ₹58 crore. But the real damage is believed to be much bigger. Around 450 to 500 people may have been cheated, and the total scam amount could be over ₹200 crore. The gang converted stolen money into Binance crypto and transferred it outside India to hide the digital trail. Maharashtra has been the worst hit, with 18 cases, followed by Delhi and Karnataka with 8 cases each. Goa and Rajasthan also reported one case each. The gang kept changing locations to avoid being tracked, but digital evidence finally exposed them.

Mastermind Operated From Dubai, More Arrests Possible

The police believe the entire network was controlled by Abdul Sattar from Dubai. The arrested members include Roshan Shetty (BA), Sanad Das (MBA), Amir Sher Khan, Sabir Khan, Rahul Kumar, Mohammad Baloch, and Abhishek Narkar. The police have issued a clear warning to the public never trust anyone online who asks you to invest money, no matter how personal the conversation feels. High return promises are often fake. If you see anything suspicious, report it immediately to the cyber cell or your nearest police station. Remember, a chat that moves from dating to investing may not be love it could be a direct attack on your savings. Stay alert, stay safe.