Stay safe › Scams
Matrimonial and romance scams
A perfect match online, often an "NRI" or officer, who soon needs money for customs, visas or an emergency.
How it works
Scammers create attractive profiles on matrimonial sites, dating apps and social media, often posing as NRIs, officers, doctors or engineers with stolen photos. They chat for weeks, build emotional closeness and talk of marriage. Then the money requests start, small at first: visa fees, customs duty on a gift they’ve “sent”, a medical emergency, a courier or registration fee. Fake pay slips and travel documents make the story believable.
Real cases
In October 2025, Decode reported on how these scams work and described an 85-year-old man in Pune who replied to a matrimonial advertisement and was persuaded to pay repeated “registration” fees, losing about ₹11.45 lakh. It advised insisting on a video call, checking details independently, and never paying visa, customs or courier fees for a match.
The rule
A real partner doesn’t need your money before you’ve met. Bring family in early.
If it has already happened
- Stop sending money and don't pay any "customs officer" or courier who calls about a gift.
- Call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in, with screenshots, payment receipts and profile links.
- Report the profile to the matrimonial site or app, and tell someone you trust.
Protect yourself
- Insist on a live video call and a meeting with family early on.
- Check their job, photos and family independently. A reverse image search can show stolen photos.
- Never send money to someone you haven't met, whatever the reason.
Say it simply
Talk openly about online matches. Scammers depend on secrecy.
If a new friend or match online asks for money, even for an emergency, it's almost always a scam.
Where to report
- Cybercrime helpline 1930Money has been taken or a payment was tricked out of you. Call at once: the sooner, the better the chance of freezing it.Call 1930
- National Cyber Crime Reporting PortalFile a complaint about any cyber fraud, harassment, sextortion or morphed images.cybercrime.gov.in
- The app or platformReport and block the account on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube or wherever it happened, so it can be taken down.Report in the app
- Local police or cyber cellFor threats, blackmail or large losses, file an FIR. Take your screenshots and transaction details.Emergency: 112