The dating app scam in Mumbai, which mid-day’s sting op had successfully scuttled a year ago, is back on the scene; this time five young men claim to have fallen victim to racket operating out of a Malad club. There are more such inicidents that have been reported in different areas of the city
Lured under the pretence of a date, they were taken to the lounge where they were hit with inflated bills. Representation pic/istock
The menace of dating app scams is back and is once again casting a dark shadow over Mumbai’s nightlife. In a series of alarming incidents, five young men have alleged they were duped by an organised racket operating out of a lounge located on Link Road in Malad West, opposite Infiniti Mall. According to the victims, they were targeted through popular dating apps like Bumble, Happn, 3Fun and Tinder.
Lured under the pretence of a date, they were taken to the lounge where they were hit with shockingly inflated bills and subjected to aggressive payment tactics. All five have filed complaints with the Malad police, who have confirmed receiving the cases and initiated a preliminary investigation.
Case 1: Hospitality manager from Colaba
Loss: Rs 17,000
A 31-year-old hospitality manager from Colaba matched with a woman named Anamika on Happn. After exchanging messages, they agreed to meet on May 10 at Infiniti Mall, Malad. When he suggested meeting inside the mall or at a nearby café, Anamika insisted on visiting a lounge across the road.
Screenshots of chat messages where the club’s location is shared
“The music was loud, and the lighting was very dim. Four other couples were already seated. As I was still scanning the menu, the woman, who now called herself Manisha from Dehradun, ordered alcohol without hesitation. A single 30 ml peg was priced at Rs 3000. She downed four pegs, smoked hookah, and barely engaged in conversation,” he said.
He didn’t touch a drink, yet the final bill was Rs 20,300. When he protested, four to five bouncers surrounded him. “After a heated argument, they removed the service charge and forced me to pay Rs 17,000.”
Later, as he reflected, the signs of a scam became clear — the woman’s signals to the waiter, her excessive ordering, and the threatening staff. He has submitted all evidence, including the dating profile, chat history, and the bill, to the police, urging authorities to shut down such lounges and cancel their licences.
Case 2: IT professional from Navi Mumbai
Loss: Rs 23,610
A 24-year-old IT professional from Kharghar met a woman on Bumble, and they decided to meet near Infiniti Mall on May 10. She took him to the same Malad lounge she claimed to have ‘researched’.
Screenshot of the chat showing the payment made to the restaurant
“She ordered expensive alcohol without asking me and left abruptly, citing a call from her mother. Minutes later, the waiter presented a bill of R23,610. When I objected, the staff threatened me,” he said. Fearing for his safety late at night, far from home, he paid under pressure.
Later, he discovered several similar Google reviews and contacted two other victims. On May 17, they filed a joint complaint with Malad police.
Case 3: Malad East resident
Attempted Scam
A 25-year-old from Pimpri Pada, Malad East, sensed something was off during his date at the same lounge. “The woman and the waiter were too coordinated,” he recalled.
Negative reviews posted on Google about the establishment
She ordered a Jägerbomb and hookah without his consent. When he insisted on splitting the bill, she ordered another drink. The final bill came to Rs 12,832 — without a GST amount.
“I refused to pay the full amount, threatened to call the police, and only then did they let me off after paying Rs 2500, which was the food bill amount,” he said. He later found his negative Google review had been deleted, raising suspicions of the lounge manipulating online feedback. He has filed a formal police complaint.
Case 4: Dahisar resident
Loss: Rs 22,000
A 25-year-old marketing executive from Dahisar connected with a woman on Tinder. On May 16, she insisted on going to the Malad lounge.
“I ordered fries, salad, and water. She ordered 8 Jagerbombs and six pegs of Grey Goose. The staff insisted I pay Rs 22,000. Not wanting a confrontation, I paid using my credit card,” he said.
Later, he found several Google reviews describing similar scams and filed a written complaint with the police.
Case 5: Borivli resident
Loss: Rs 32,000
A 28-year-old from Borivli was similarly duped on May 12. After connecting on a dating app, the woman directed him to the same lounge. She ordered drinks, food, hookah, and cigarettes — without discussing costs.
Dating app profile picture of the woman the men matched with
“I noticed the waiter brought her preferred cigarette brand without her even naming it. That’s when I knew something was off. When the Rs 32,000 bill came, she claimed she had no money. I was pressured by bouncers to pay— Rs 21,900 via UPI and Rs 10,000 by credit card to two different accounts.”
Post-incident, he discovered many others had posted similar experiences online.
Bigger racket?
Sources told mid-day the scam is not limited to Malad. Similar operations are active across Kandivli, Borivli, Andheri, Sakinaka, Mira-Bhayandar, Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Pune. Young men and women from Delhi and Gurugram are allegedly staying in budget accommodations across the city, using dating apps to lure victims to pre-selected lounges.
Police Speak
Senior Inspector Vijay Panhale of Malad police station said, “We have received written complaints and assigned an officer to investigate the case.”
Flashback: mid-day expose
Last year, mid-day blew the lid off this racket in a series, where an undercover reporter posed as a dating app user and was led to multiple clubs in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai by scam-linked women. That probe led to FIRs in Amboli and Bangur Nagar. Following the FIR, multiple arrests were made across the country. The mastermind of the scam, known as Rocket, was arrested in Delhi.
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