Bengaluru man loses ₹1.29 crore in online investment scam linked to dating app

BENGALURU: A 42-year-old man from Bengaluru was allegedly cheated of over ₹1.29 crore in an online investment scam after meeting fraudsters through a dating app.

According to police, the victim, identified as Jagadish C, came in contact with the accused through the Quack Quack dating app. Over time, they gained his trust and convinced him to invest in a website that claimed to offer high returns from international stock markets.

One of the accused, a woman named Meghana Reddy, reportedly told Jagadish that she wanted to build an old-age home in his father’s name. Believing her story, he transferred ₹1,29,33,253 through multiple RTGS and NEFT transactions between November 5 and 6.

After making the payments, Jagadish neither received any returns nor was able to get his money back. Realising he had been duped, he lodged a complaint with the police.

The North CEN (Cybercrime, Economic Offences, Narcotics) Crime Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

An investigation is underway to trace the suspects and recover the defrauded amount.