In Pune, an 85-year-old responded to a matrimonial ad and eventually ended up being persuaded to pay repeated “registration” fees, losing approximately ₹11.45 lakh.
Matrimonial scammers have been around for some time now, and their MO is to use the promise of marriage to build trust, create scenarios for the victim to feel safe and vulnerable, and then eventually trap them to extract money over weeks.
What This Scam Looks Like
Fake, flattering profiles: Scammers often pose as NRIs, officers, doctors or engineers with stolen photos and forged details.
Long grooming: Friendly chats turn into emotional intimacy and then the promise of marriage. When the trust is solid, the scammer begins to make small money requests (“visa fees” for a trip, “customs”, “gifts” for important occasions, medical bills, courier/registration).
Paper trail illusions: Forged pay slips, fake job letters, bogus travel docs and mule bank accounts to launder payments.
Spot And Avoid Red Flags
Red flag: Never meets on video/keeps postponing in-person meetings (always “abroad”, “busy”, “family pressure”).
What you should do: Insist on a video call to reveal identity. Disconnect if they refuse.
Red flag: Profile looks too polished but has no real social footprint or mutual contacts.
What you should do: Check details independently; maybe LinkedIn, employer websites, and reverse-image searches will expose many fakes.
Red flag: Asks for money early or repeatedly.
What you should do: Never send money for visas, customs, “registration” or courier fees; refuse third-party accounts.
Red flag: Documents don’t check out, stories change, or they rush secrecy and shame tactics.
What you should do: Involve a family member or friend early; secrecy helps scammers. Save everything–from screenshots, receipts, message logs, to profile links. These help block repeat offenders and finally, report the profile to the matrimonial site and to local police; keep the complaint/reference number.
Romance scams, like most other scams, exploit our trust and urgency. This is why a short checklist of “verify, refuse money, include others, save records” should stop most attempts before they escalate.