Dating App ‘Pig Butchering’ Scam Costs Gujarat Victims Up to ₹66 Lakh; Police Issue Warning

Romance Turns Costly: Online Trading Scam Hits Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar.

A growing wave of cyber fraud cases linked to dating apps has left several victims in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar facing losses ranging from ₹13 lakh to over ₹66 lakh, police officials have confirmed. The scams follow a well-known pattern globally referred to as “pig butchering” or romance-investment fraud.

In recent cases, fraudsters posed as women based abroad and befriended victims on dating platforms before shifting conversations to WhatsApp or Telegram. They then persuaded victims to invest in fake online trading platforms, promising unusually high returns.

Initially, victims were encouraged to invest small amounts and were shown fake profits to build trust. Once confidence was established, they were coaxed into transferring larger sums to multiple bank accounts or crypto wallets.

When victims later attempted to withdraw their supposed earnings, they were blocked and asked to pay additional charges such as taxes or clearance fees, after which the fraud was discovered.

Cybercrime officials have urged the public to avoid mixing online relationships with financial decisions and to verify all investment platforms through SEBI registrations. Victims have been advised to immediately report such incidents by calling the national cybercrime helpline 1930, lodging complaints on cybercrime.gov.in, and informing their banks to prevent further losses