Order Expensive Food, Then Vanish! How Dating Scams Are Unfolding In Pune

Pune faces a dating app scam where women lure men to clubs, order expensive items, and vanish, leaving the men with inflated bills and alleged threats from staff.

A man was duped into paying nearly Rs 20,000 bill in Pune.

Source : ABP Live AI

Pune's nightlife has taken a dark turn as reports emerge of a growing scam targeting young men through dating apps. A recent incident at the upscale nightclub in Wagholi has brought to light an alleged racket where women, in suspected collusion with club staff, trap men into paying inflated bills for food and alcohol.

Dating Scam Modus Operandi

The modus operandi is deceptively simple: A woman connects with a man via a dating app and invites him to meet at a specific club. Once there, she orders expensive drinks and dishes, only to disappear mid-meal, usually under the pretext of using the washroom. The man is then left alone with a hefty bill and allegedly threatened by club staff to settle it.

As per local media reports, one such victim, Siddharth, was duped into paying nearly Rs 20,000. "She ordered alcohol and disappeared just as the bill arrived. Her phone was off, and the staff threatened me to pay up," he said. His friend Jagjit, approached by the same woman, sensed foul play and called the police after she fled upon being questioned.

The club's owner denied any wrongdoing. "We are a legitimate business and are unaware of any such practices,” he said. However, victims believe there is a pattern and have approached Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar seeking a formal probe into possible coordination between club personnel and the women involved.

"This is not an isolated incident," Siddharth warned. “There’s a network here preying on young men, emotionally, psychologically, and financially. It needs to be dismantled," he added.

In Mumbai's Borivali, 21 people, including six women, have been arrested in connection with a dating scam. These women would first screen their dates and then call them to a fancy restaurant, where they would ask the restaurant staff to generate inflated bills.