Karnataka Police Constable Duped of ₹28.2 Lakh in Dating App Scam

Swift Summary

• incident: A 45-year-old Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) officer lost ₹28.2 lakh over one month while attempting to date a girl through a mobile app.
• Timeline: The victim accessed an advertisement for ‘Lovers World Dating Company’ on May 24, believed the instructions, and made successive payments after receiving requests citing various charges.
• Payments Demanded: Initial registration (₹1,000); profiles access (₹12,780); additional payments including ₹39,900 and repeated demands for unspecified reasons eventually amounted to ₹28.2 lakh.
• Financial Impact: Victim borrowed from friends and took loans to meet demands before filing a police complaint on August 7 due to persuasion by acquaintances.
• Police Investigation:

– south East cyber Crime Police registered an FIR under the IT Act,2000 and sections related to cheating and impersonation.
– Authorities suspect sextortion but are hindered as the victim deleted all chats; investigation is focused on tracing money trails.

Image: Photo Credit – Getty Images/iStockphoto

Indian Opinion Analysis

This case highlights vulnerabilities in digital platforms that prey notably upon individuals’ emotional states or personal desires. While cybercrime awareness has grown in India, incidents like these underscore the need for continued public education regarding online scams. It also raises questions about safeguarding personal dignity amid cases of sextortion or fraud-a challenge compounded by societal stigma in reporting such crimes.

For law enforcement officers facing such situations personally, it points toward systemic gaps in training focused on recognizing risky digital interactions despite their professional exposure to cybercrime prevention strategies. This incident serves as both a poignant reminder of individual susceptibility irrespective of role and an urgent call for broad-based campaigns addressing responsible online behavior across demographics. Tracking financial flows might help solve this case while reinforcing stricter accountability measures against deceptive “dating apps.”

Published August 07, 2025