An old man loses Rs 73.5 lakh in bid to enrol on dating site

NAVI MUMBAI: Kharghar police team busted a fake call centre in Kolkata and arrested three persons, including a woman and a transgender, for cheating a 65-year-old man in Kharghar of Rs 73.5 lakh after offering him membership of a dating site.

Those arrested were Sneha alias Mahi Das (25), a resident of Sodhpur, Prabir Saha (35), from in Mandalpara, and Arnab Roy (26) from Durgapur in Howrah.

Senior inspector Pradip Tidar said, “Sneha contacted the Kharghar resident in September 2018 and offered him membership of Locanto Dating Services and Speed Dating, claiming they provide girls for dates at a location chosen by the member, and made him pay registration and other fees. As he did not facilitate dating, the victim demanded cancellation of membership. But he demanded exorbitant cancellation charges. Thereafter, the accused threatened to lodge a police complaint against him for demanding girls, and they sent him legal notices to scare him and to extort money.”

Tidar said, “The accused demanded money to prevent legal trouble and made him transfer Rs 73.5 lakh to several accounts. He coughed up the sum as he feared social stigma. Eventually, he approached Kharghar police and an FIR was registered.”