In a shocking turn of events, an IAS aspirant’s cafe date via Tinder resulted in a hefty scam loss of Rs 1.2 lakh. This incident has brought to light a deceptive scheme that targets unsuspecting men in Delhi.
The victim, an IAS aspirant, met a woman named Versha on Tinder. After chatting for several weeks, they decided to meet to celebrate Versha’s birthday. They agreed to meet at the Black Mirror Cafe on Vikas Marg. The evening started off well with snacks, cakes, and fruit wine shots. However, things took a dark turn when Versha abruptly left, citing a family emergency.
Left alone, the victim was handed a bill of Rs 1,21,917, a sum far exceeding the cost of their order. When he disputed the bill, he was threatened and confined in one of the cafe’s cozy cabins. The cafe owners forced him to transfer the amount online. The transfer was made to Akshay Pahwa, one of the cafe’s owners. Once released, the victim reported the incident to the police.
Inspector Sanjay Gupta led a four-member police team to investigate. They quickly apprehended Pahwa. During questioning, Pahwa disclosed that he co-owned the Black Mirror Cafe with Ansh Grover and his cousin Vansh Pahwa. The cafe also employed several “table managers,” managed by a person named Digranshu.
Pahwa said that Versha’s real name is Afsan Parveen. She is 25 years old and also uses the names Ayesha and Noor. During the day, Parveen looked for jobs. But at night, she tricked men on dating apps like Tinder and Bumble. She would bring them to hidden cafes where they would have a short meeting. Then she would leave them with a very expensive bill to pay. The victim had been chatting with Versha for several weeks and skipped his classes to meet her. When she abruptly left, he was left with a hefty bill and threats of violence if he didn’t pay up.
Parveen received 15% of the extorted amount, while 45% was split between the table and cafe managers. The remaining 40% went to the cafe owners. This scheme is not limited to Delhi; similar scam has been reported in other metro cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.
These scam work because cafe owners, managers, and people who make fake profiles on dating apps work together. They threaten, beat, or lock up victims until they pay. Many men don’t report these crimes because they are ashamed or afraid of what people might think.
The police have arrested Parveen and Pahwa, seizing their phones and the cafe’s register. The investigation is ongoing, with efforts to apprehend other involved parties. This story is a warning for people who use dating apps. It’s important to meet in public places and be careful to avoid scams like this one.