‘Matrimony match’ turns costly, man loses ₹11 lakh in crypto scam

A 31-year-old man from Punjagutta lost over ₹11 lakh in an online cryptocurrency fraud to a woman who trapped him via a fake profile on a matrimonial website.

The Hyderabad cyber crimes police booked a case.

An officer from the wing said that the victim was contacted on Reddy Matrimony by a woman claiming to be from Scotland, and involved in cryptocurrency trading.

“The conversations later shifted to WhatsApp, where she gradually gained his confidence. She then convinced him to invest in Bitcoin through two fraudulent websites and directed him to communicate with a so-called customer support team on an international WhatsApp number,” said the officer.

On their instructions, the victim transferred funds via net banking into multiple current accounts. It was only after repeated transfers that he realised the scheme was fraudulent and had cost him around ₹11,04,000.

He subsequently approached Cyber Crime police and lodged a complaint.

Investigators have warned people to remain cautious while interacting with strangers on matrimonial and social media platforms. They pointed out that fraudsters often create fake identities, pose as NRIs or foreign residents, and claim to be successful in cryptocurrency trading to lure victims.

People have also been urged not to share sensitive personal or banking information, including OTPs and identity documents, with unknown individuals online.

Police highlighted the need to verify the identity of anyone met on matrimonial platforms before engaging further.

Suspicious activity can be reported to the Cyber Crime Cell through the national portal www.cybercrime.gov.in or by dialling the helpline 1930.