Catfishing scam: Gujarat man dupes 10 pals of lakhs, posing as 'dream bride'; victim spots beneficiary as accused’s father

AHMEDABAD: No criminal knows your desires and weaknesses better than your friend. This maxim was used by a Sabarkantha man who posed online as a woman and exploited his friend’s cherished wish to find matrimonial bliss.

For this crook, his friend and a catfishing scam were a match made in cybercrime heaven. As a bachelor dealing with a breakup, the cybercriminal deemed his single friends to be fair game.Aware that his friend had been frenetically seeking a bride for several years, the cybercriminal introduced him to a woman named “Kinjal Patel”. The complainant, a 35-year-old bachelor from Sabarkantha, told police that he and “Kinjal” began chatting regularly on WhatsApp.He said the woman shared her photographs and eventually stated that her family hadapproved the alliance.Over time, the woman sought money on various pretexts, including personal and family needs. Trusting her assurance that marriage was on the cards, the complainant transferred around Rs 5 lakh over two years to her.However, despite his repeated requests, the woman avoided meeting him in person, citing health and other problems.

One day, as the complainant checked his transaction statements, he noticed that the beneficiary’s name matched that of his friend’s father.The complainant then confronted his friend. The ostensible matchmaker allegedly confessed that he had been posing as the woman.Police said the accused, identified as Ankush Patel, is under financial stress. He allegedly used the money to repay personal debts.During preliminary investigation, police found that at least 10 of his friends had been cheated in a similar manner with the accused luring them with marriage proposals using fake female profiles on social media and messaging platforms.

The Sabarkantha complainant approached the cyber helpline and later filed a formal complaint with the cybercrime police of the region.The FIR stated that while the accused returned Rs 1 lakh in instalments after being confronted, he failed to repay the remaining Rs 4 lakh despite repeated demands. Several other aspiring grooms have also lost money ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 4 lakh.A police officer said that the interesting part of the story is that the accused himself is a bachelor.

A couple of years ago, the officer said, the accused started a relationship with awoman and wanted to marry her.He spent large sums to fulfil his marriage dream and buy a house. His relationship failed and he ended up losing money. That disappointment apparently triggered his plan to cheat his own friends.A case has been registered under sections related to cheating. The IT Act has also been invoked. Police are examining digital evidence, bank transactions, and social media accounts to identify other victims and trace the total amount involved.