How a probe into dating app scam led police to mule accounts, cybercriminals with China links

A Pune-based IT professional in his 40s signed up on a dating platform last year, and he connected with the profile of a woman named Anamika, ironically, a word that means “anonymous”.

- GNS News Agency, July 15

Their online conversations quickly grew into what seemed like a genuine relationship, and soon, talks of marriage followed. But the connection, which appeared to promise a shared future, turned out to be an elaborate cyber scam in which he was allegedly duped of a staggering Rs 1.55 crore over eight months. The investigation revealed that the cybercriminals, operating behind the profile of 'Anamika,' gradually gained the complainant's trust and allegedly requested large sums of money. On the pretence of building a future together, 'Anamika' allegedly convinced him to transfer funds to purchase a house without ever having met. Over time, the scammers further manipulated him into investing in various trading apps, luring him with promises of exceptionally high returns, said the police. Af