Online dating can be exciting but risky, as one Mumbai man recently learned the hard way. His shocking experience, shared on Reddit, has gone viral — sparking outrage, mockery, and warnings from internet users who called it a “classic dating app scam.Mumbai man ” The post, titled “Got scammed through dating app,” details how an evening that started with casual plans ended with a hefty bill of ₹24,000 and a hard lesson about online trust.
A Casual Meetup Turns Into a Costly Trap(Mumbai man falls prey to dating app scam)
According to the man’s Reddit post, the incident began when he matched with a woman on the dating app Aisle. After a few exchanges, the two decided to meet near Upvan Lake in Thane.
He recalled that the meeting was spontaneous — he didn’t plan much and simply decided to meet her that same evening.
However, things started to feel off from the very beginning. The woman arrived almost an hour late but quickly suggested that they visit a nearby bar. “She asked me to come to a place near there as she got off there,” he wrote. “She was at a place near a bar and suggested we go there since it was close. Dumb me thought — yeah, why not — and went inside.”
The venue, according to the bill he later shared, was a bar called Paablo Baar and Lounch (apparently misspelled on the receipt). It was described as a large hall with music, some lights, and a few people sitting around — not too crowded, but enough to seem normal at first glance. Mumbai man
“She Kept Ordering Blue Label”
Once seated, the woman began ordering Blue Label whisky, one of the most expensive brands available. The man said he was taken aback by her confidence and didn’t question it much, thinking she might cover her part of the bill.
“She kept on ordering Blue Label until she had four,” he wrote. Meanwhile, he only ordered a beer and later a vodka.
By the end of the evening, when the waiter brought the bill, his heart sank — the total came to ₹24,000, plus ₹2,000 in service charges.
“I had only around ₹2,000 for myself,” he explained. “The rest was for the Blue Label. Mumbai man I eventually paid ₹10,000 under pressure as several waiters looked like someone you don’t want to mess with.”
He also mentioned that others in the bar looked “equally uncomfortable,” suggesting that they might also have been victims of the same setup.
The Woman Disappears
After the payment was made, the situation turned stranger. The woman told him she was scared and wanted to leave immediately. According to the Reddit post, she walked out, called an auto-rickshaw from a distance, and vanished.
“She said she was scared and left soon. I thought she’d message later, but she didn’t. She just disappeared,” the man wrote. All attempts to contact her afterward failed.
Realizing he had been scammed, he decided to share his story online to warn others not to make the same mistake.
Sharing Evidence and a Warning
To support his claims, the man posted blurred photos of the woman and the bar bill. He admitted that he had been naïve and should have recognized the red flags earlier.
“Sorry guys, I had to take one for myself like this — being prey for this fraud,” he wrote. “Hopefully, this helps someone else avoid getting caught like I did.”
His post quickly gained traction on Reddit, with hundreds of comments and shares across social media platforms. Many users sympathized with him, while others pointed out that dating app scams have become alarmingly common in Indian cities.
Netizens React: “Don’t You Read the News?”
Online reactions to the post ranged from empathy to sarcasm. While some users offered support and shared similar experiences, others questioned the man’s judgment.
One user wrote, “This has been happening for years! These bars have tie-ups with scammers. You should always check reviews before going anywhere new.”
Another comment that gained hundreds of likes read, “News nahi padhte ho kya (Don’t you read the news)? This scam has been exposed so many times!”
Many also warned that such scams often involve fake bar setups with inflated prices, where victims are intimidated into paying large bills for drinks they didn’t even order.
How Dating App Scams Work
According to cybercrime experts, scams like these usually follow a set pattern. The scammer lures the victim into visiting a specific bar or restaurant, often in collaboration with the staff. Once inside, the scammer orders expensive drinks or food and later disappears, leaving the victim to pay the bill.
In some cases, waiters or bouncers pressure the person into paying immediately, using intimidation tactics to make them comply.
Mumbai man falls prey to dating app scam
Authorities advise people to meet in public places such as cafes or malls for first dates and avoid going to unfamiliar venues suggested by strangers.
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The Mumbai man dating app scam is just one of many incidents showing how quickly online interactions can turn dangerous. His experience serves as a reminder that while dating apps offer convenience, they also require caution and common sense.
From checking profiles carefully to meeting in well-reviewed public spaces, safety must always come first. As one Reddit user aptly commented, “Trust takes time — not a drink and a chat at a shady bar.”
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