63-year-old man duped of ₹66.6 lakh by woman he met on dating app

Kolkata: A 63-year-old man from Salt Lake has reportedly lost ₹66.6 lakh in an online investment scam after being lured by a woman he met through a dating application.

The man filed a complaint with the Bidhannagar Cybercrime Police Station on Thursday.

According to the complaint, the man first connected with the woman on 14 April and soon began communicating with her over WhatsApp. Within a week, she convinced him to invest in an online scheme, assuring him of substantial returns.

As the conversations progressed, the woman added the man to a Telegram group where the scam appeared to be further orchestrated. Initially, he invested ₹20,000 and received small profits in return, which helped gain his trust.

Encouraged by the early gains and influenced by the woman’s advice, the man continued to invest increasingly larger amounts. Over time, he allegedly sold his apartment, emptied multiple bank accounts, and poured his entire life savings into what turned out to be a fraudulent scheme.

Police urge vigilance

An officer from the Bidhannagar Commissionerate said, “Such online investment scams are rising. We regularly urge people to stay cautious.”

Police are investigating the case and have issued a reminder to the public to be wary of online offers that promise unusually high returns, especially those that originate from unverified sources or through personal communication platforms.