A 70-year-old retired private company employee from Dombivli West lost his life's savings after falling victim to an elaborate online dating scam. The fraudsters allegedly posed as a distressed married woman and a fake police officer, ultimately cheating the senior citizen of ₹18.22 lakh over several months.
The victim, a resident of Shastrinagar in Dombivli West, lodged a complaint at Vishnu Nagar Police Station after realizing he had been deceived. Police have registered an FIR and launched a technical investigation into the case.
According to the complaint, the retiree downloaded the dating application Tagged in March, where he came in contact with a woman identifying herself as Nimisha Alwa. The two initially connected through the app before continuing their conversations on Telegram.
During their chats, the woman claimed she was trapped in an abusive marriage and alleged that her husband and in-laws physically assaulted her. She further claimed she had no money to return home and urgently needed financial assistance.
Believing her story, the elderly man began transferring money to her in multiple installments from early March.
The scam took a more serious turn on March 28, when the complainant received a phone call from a man who introduced himself as ACP Tejas from Bengaluru Police.
The caller allegedly claimed that Nimisha Alwa and her husband had filed an FIR against the senior citizen and warned that he would be arrested if he failed to appear before the Bengaluru police.
Using fear and intimidation, the impersonator assured the victim that the matter could be settled if he paid money. Afraid of legal action and arrest, the retiree continued transferring funds to both the woman and the fake police officer.
Between March and July 14, the fraudsters allegedly extracted ₹18,22,542 from the victim under various pretexts, including legal expenses and settlement charges.
The senior citizen remained silent for months out of fear. However, after the woman suddenly stopped communicating and he realized he had been conned, he approached Vishnu Nagar Police on July 22 and filed a formal complaint.
Based on the complaint, Vishnu Nagar Police have registered an FIR against the accused and initiated a technical investigation to trace those involved in the fraud.
Police officials said no arrests have been made so far, and further investigation is underway.
Police advise citizens, especially senior citizens, to exercise caution while interacting with strangers on dating or social networking platforms. Users should avoid sending money to people they have never met in person and verify the identity of anyone requesting financial assistance. Any suspicious activity or threats should be reported to the police immediately.