Mumbai, November 11: A new dating scam involving the popular dating app Bumble has come to light, with several people being scammed nationwide. The incident came to light today, November 11, after a journalist from Delhi was allegedly tricked into paying an unfair bill at a restaurant in Rajouri Garden by a girl he met online on dating app Bumble. The victim, identified as Archit Gupta, paid Rs 15,000 before realising he was scammed.
Man Scammed in Delhi
Fraud Alert: Met a girl on @bumble, went to The Race Lounge & Bar in Rajouri Garden. She ordered drinks and the bill was Rs 15,886. Realised it was a scam. Discovered many people are scammed. @Cyberdost 1930 not working, @DelhiPolice please take action. Read the whole story: pic.twitter.com/Ux18iYSRm1
— Archit Gupta (@Architguptajii) November 11, 2023
Taking to X, Gupta revealed how he paid the hugely inflated bill at the restaurant in Rajouri Garden where he met the woman for a date. In his post, the Delhi resident alleged that the restaurant was working with the woman to attract customers who were made to pay high bills, which reportedly exceeded the actual value of the items they ordered. Bumble Date Goes Wrong in Delhi: Man ‘Tricked’ Into Paying Unfair Bill at Rajouri Garden Restaurant by Girl He Met Online, Dating App Responds to Viral Post.
‘Food Digger Scam’ Hits Men Across the Country
While there have been a few incidents of this new dating app scam where men are being tricked and looted, the phenomenon is also called a “Food Digger scam”. In simple terms, men who match a date online on dating apps like Bumble, Tinder, etc., are scammed when the woman wants to go to a particular restaurant or bar for the date. With several men being scammed, it’s essential to understand the modus operandi of these scamsters.
Dating App Scam in Pune
PUNE : ISSUED IN PUBLIC INTEREST
Guy matches girl on @bumble
She asks to meet within 2 days
Chooses Gypsy Moto Pub specifically
Orders hukka wine immediately
Guy slapped with Rs. 23K bill
Girl threatens either he pays or be beaten up & his family involved @PuneCityPolice pic.twitter.com/d4dlLNYYb9
— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) November 11, 2023
New Dating Scam’s Modus Operandi
Just like Gupta, another man named in Pune was scammed when slapped with a hefty bill of Rs 23,000 at Gypsy Moto Pub during his Bumble date. In both cases, the woman who matched online chose the place of their date. The woman not only insisted on meeting the man within two days but also threatened him to pay the bill or get his family involved and even resort to violence. While narrating his ordeal on X, formerly Twitter, Archit Gupta, who met his date at a dubious cafe named “The Race Lounge and Bar”, said that when he received the bill, he realised it was a scam. He also said that several people were scammed similarly.
While the scam isn’t new, the modus operandi is simple. After matching online on dating apps like Bumble, Tinder, etc, the the woman insists on meeting the man at a specific restaurant or pub. At the date, the woman orders food, alcohol, etc, before making an excuse and leaving the scene. Following this, the men are slapped with hefty bills, leaving them with no choice but to pay the amount. The woman who seems to appear as if matched on a dating site is reportedly operating under a fake name. The same was confirmed by Gupta, who said that the woman’s name appeared to be Sharma and Aifya on Truecaller. Bumble Date Goes Wrong in Pune: Man ‘Threatened’ into Paying Bill Worth Rs 23,000 at Gypsy Moto Pub by Online Date.
How To Avoid Getting Scammed
With several men being scammed in the new dating app fraud, Gupta also said that the woman “disappeared” from Bumble after their date ended and even ignored his phone calls. At the same time, many men are being tricked into this dating app scam; staying safe and avoiding getting scammed is essential. One way to avoid getting scammed is to meet at public places or restaurants with multiple chains and a standard menu.
If a woman insists on meeting at a particular restaurant or pub, it’s best advised to check the reviews of the place and even do research before narrowing down on the place to meet. Always communicate to see if the other potential online match is open to splitting the bill and whether they can meet in public places. Try and check the person’s number on Truecaller or search them on social media platforms to confirm their digital identity to avoid being scammed.
(The above story first appeared on Morning Tidings on Nov 11, 2023 03:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website morningtidings.com).
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