Kolkata Dating App Scam: 63-Year-Old Man Loses ₹66 Lakh, House

A 63-year-old man from Kolkata fell victim to a sophisticated online dating scam, losing his life savings and even his apartment.

According to reports, the Salt Lake resident was defrauded of ₹66.6 lakh. The incident came to light after he filed a complaint at the Bidhannagar Cybercrime Police Station on Thursday (June 26).

In his statement, the man said he was lured into the scam and lost all his money and home within a few weeks.

It all began on April 14, when he matched with a woman on a popular dating app. They quickly struck up a friendship and moved their conversation to WhatsApp. After laying the foundation of trust, the woman persuaded him to invest in a “promising” platform that claimed to offer high returns.

She later added him to a Telegram group where several fake users posed as successful investors. The man initially invested ₹20,000. Encouraged by the small gains, he gradually increased his investments.

According to police, the man eventually sold his apartment and withdrew funds from multiple accounts, investing every last rupee into the fraudulent scheme.

The woman maintained constant contact and repeatedly convinced him to invest more, promising substantial returns. However, when all communication ceased and the Telegram group vanished, the man was hit by the harsh reality—left emotionally and financially devastated.

The Bidhannagar police have registered a case and launched an investigation to trace the scam network’s digital footprint. Officials have also urged the public to remain cautious, citing a surge in similar online investment frauds.