A civil service aspirant preparing for the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) fell victim to an online dating scam, losing Rs 1.2 lakh. The victim encountered Versha on Tinder, and their plans to meet at Black Mirror Cafe in East Delhi’s Vikas Marg ended disastrously. An FIR has been lodged with Delhi Police, leading to the arrest of the accused and seizure of the cafe’s register.
Typically, online dating scams commence with individuals matching on apps like OkCupid, Bumble, Hinge, or Tinder, as in this case. After exchanging numbers and chatting online, the duo decided to celebrate Versha’s birthday at Black Mirror Cafe on Vikas Marg.
According to the victim, they ordered snacks, two cakes, and four non-alcoholic shots. The situation took a dark turn when Versha abruptly left, citing a family emergency. The victim was shocked to receive a bill amounting to Rs 1,21,917, well above their order’s actual cost.
Stunned by the exorbitant bill, the victim raised a dispute with the cafe. However, the victim reported being confined, threatened, and even physically assaulted by the cafe staff. Eventually, under duress, the victim transferred money to Akshay Pahwa, one of the cafe’s owners, to settle the bill.
During the investigation, Akshay Pahwa disclosed that Black Mirror Cafe is co-owned by him, his cousin Vansh Pahwa, and another individual named Ansh Grover. He identified several individuals involved in the scam, including ‘table managers’ and a manager named Digranshu.
Pahwa further admitted that Versha’s real name is Afsan Parveen, also known as Ayesha and Noor, a 25-year-old job seeker who has previously deceived men on dating apps. Parveen would lure them to the cafe, where accomplices among the staff would coerce victims into paying inflated bills.