A 53-year-old businessman from Kondhwa in Pune has fallen victim to a sophisticated online fraud, losing over Rs 7 crore after befriending a stranger on a dating app. The victim, who runs an automobile parts manufacturing unit in Bhosari, lodged a complaint with the Pune cyber police on Friday.
How the scam unfolded
The businessman, who is unmarried and lives with his father, was actively seeking a life partner and had created a profile on a dating platform. He connected with a profile he believed belonged to a woman, and they began chatting regularly. Over six months, the fraudster gained his trust through persuasive conversations and promises of lucrative returns in forex and cryptocurrency trading.
According to Senior Inspector Swapnali Shinde of the cyber police, the victim was convinced to open an account on a currency trading platform. He started trading in foreign exchange and cryptocurrencies through the online exchange facility. Within a few days, the platform showed a profit of Rs 5 crore, encouraging him to invest more.
Money transferred to multiple accounts
Between October 2025 and April, the victim transferred a total of Rs 7.07 crore into seven different bank accounts as instructed by the fraudster. The investment amount displayed on the app kept increasing, but whenever he attempted to withdraw funds, he was asked to deposit additional money for taxes, documentation fees, and other reasons.
Police are investigating whether a single individual or a group of fraudsters is behind the crime. The case highlights the growing threat of romance scams combined with investment fraud targeting individuals on dating platforms.
