New Delhi: Delhi Police has arrested a 35-year-old man for allegedly running an online “romance scam” targeting women across the country through fake identities on social media, dating and matrimonial platforms.
The accused, identified as Anand Kumar, allegedly cheated more than 500 women more than ₹2 crore for posing as a well-established professional, including a doctor, businessman, lawyer and even a film producer, officials told news agency PTI.
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According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel, Kumar created several online profiles to approach women and gain their trust.
“He would present himself as a well-established individual with an impressive background to attract victims and build credibility,” the officer said in a statement.
Build emotional trust before seeking money
Police said the accused would initiate friendly conversations and gradually establish an emotional connection over days or weeks. Once trust was built, he moved conversations to private messaging platforms, often using multiple mobile numbers to avoid detection.
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Investigators found that Kumar conducted parallel interviews with several women at the same time and carefully managed different identities.
“He exploited emotional vulnerabilities and created a sense of intimacy to manipulate the victims,” the officer added.
After gaining trust, Kumar allegedly presented fabricated stories involving medical emergencies, financial losses or family crises to get money. In several cases, he also promised marriage or offered opportunities such as modeling assignments or admission to reputed institutions to further lure victims.
Victims cheated, blackmailed using private content
In one case cited by the police, a woman was allegedly cheated ₹7 lakh after he was contacted through a fake profile called ‘Vaibhav Arora’. The defendant allegedly developed a romantic relationship with her and promised to marry her.
To reinforce the deception, he presented another fictitious identity, claiming to be a friend to help formalize their relationship. Later he invented financial distress and was looking for money.
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When the victim demanded a refund, the accused allegedly became unresponsive and later falsely claimed that the person she knew had died to cut off communication.
The police also said that Kumar was allegedly involved in extortion. During online interactions, he convinced victims to share personal photos or videos, which were later used to threaten exposure on social media if they refused to pay.
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An FIR was registered and an investigation started involving analysis of financial transactions, bank accounts and technical data.
The accused was eventually traced and arrested from West Bengal on March 22, police said.
During the searches, officers seized four smartphones, eight SIM cards, three debit cards and gold jewellery, including chains and bracelets, allegedly bought with the proceeds of crime.
Investigators said Kumar frequently changed devices and SIM cards obtained under different identities, making it difficult to trace his activities.
Over ₹ 2 crore fraud, investigation underway
Preliminary findings indicate that the accused targeted more than 500 women in various states, cheating or blackmailing them ₹2 crores.
Police said he was earlier involved in similar cases in Delhi and Ghaziabad.
A significant portion of the defrauded money was allegedly spent on online gaming and personal expenses.
Further investigations are underway to identify other victims and trace the complete financial trail, officials added.
