when we talk about marriage, the first thing that comes to our mind is its purity and bond. But I feel very anguished to state that the very purity of this bond is being exploited, yes you heard me right, with varieties of scams taking place worldwide, there are enormous marriage scams taking place and evolving. These days people are so exploratory that they want to seek life partners digitally and this has led to the rise of many matrimonial sites, we are not stating these apps and websites to be fake but there are people indulging in fake marriage proposals and scams/ fraud.
WHAT IS MATRIMONIAL FRAUD:
As the name itself suggests, MATRIMONIAL FRAUD falls under the category of fraud that is committed under the pretext of marriage, this one creates an impressive profile on the matrimonial site posing as bridegroom or bride, now the person committing this crime may be either male or female, after the successful completion of profile they approach people, once they gain their confidence they are often asked to help them in the terms of money, stating an emergency, they disappear without leaving any trace as soon as the money is transferred and hence the cycle continuous & sometimes women also get sexually abused
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| Matrimonial frauds in India |
Rise in matrimonial fraud
The digital era brought with itself a gush in matrimonial frauds, our
traditional matchmaking process has evolved through tremendous changes, and these days
people often seek the perfect match for themselves over matrimonial sites,
especially after the pandemic there has been a rise in the usage of matrimonial
sites and along with it several fraud cases evolved and registered.
According to an article published by NDTV, a woman claimed to be cheated of 45 lakhs, a man whom she met through a matrimonial site
offered to help her immigrate to Canada. This is just not one case, another
case was registered on September 11, 2023, a software engineer from Ahmedabad
claimed to lose 1 Cr in one month after he met a female via a matrimonial site,
the woman turned out to be a scammer who convinced him to invest in
Cryptocurrency hence leaving him all broke.
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON MATRIMONIAL SCAMS IN INDIA
No doubt everyone is hunting for a perfect highly paid groom
or bride for themselves, some common matrimonial scams trending in our country
INDIA are 1. Fake dowry scams 2. NRI
groom scam 3. Fake groom scam etc. Recently three Nigerians were arrested in
Delhi, they operated from Noida and looted hundreds of women, they posed as
rich businessmen owing business abroad, and their main targets were windowed
females, older unmarried and divorced females. They offered to send them gifts
and in the name of custom charges looted hundreds of lives.
Matrimonial scams are rampant in INDIA these days.
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| Some common matrimonial scams |
HOW TO SPOT MATRIMONIAL FRAUD
If we are indulged in seeking life partners through
matrimonial sites, the first and most important thing is to prevent safety and privacy, if a
person denies or hesitates to meet you over video call or meet you in person,
it may indicate that the person is a fraudster, if a person is enquiring about
your financial status, it may indicate fraudster.
A fraudster will call you from a different number and may not
have a social media handle or may have a fake social media account. Verify the
Authenticity of Profiles.
Research the Platform, Stay Cautious of Red Flags, Never
Share Financial Information, and Be Wary of Long-Distance Relationships:
Be especially cautious of matches who claim to live far
away, making it difficult to meet in person.
Long-distance relationships can be genuine, but they are
also commonly used in scams.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM MATRIMONIAL SCAMS
We know that
finding a perfect Better half may not be easy, trying to find out match from
matrimonial sites is okay but we need to take some precautions in order to
prevent our loss, talk to friends and family before registering in matrimonial
sites, check if the site is reliable or not, always look out for suspicious
profile photos and background, if the account you are following is going
through frequent edits, it may indicate that the profile is fake, do not share
your personal details and family details at first meet, always look for
verified profile match, always meet the prospective match in a public place,
always be careful while dealing with NRI profile since there are lot on ongoing
NRI groom scams going on.
MATRIMONIAL FRAUDSTER ARRESTED:
A 34-year-old man owing an MBA and B.tech degrees was arrested
from Mumbai for cheating over 40 women using matrimonial sites, He used to
lure women from rich backgrounds by promising to marry them.
Another man identified as Prithviraj Salve was arrested for
duping a CA aspirant in Mumbai, Salve offered to buy an iPhone for her at
half the cost for which he asked her to pay 52000, when the victim didn't
receive her iPhone even after making the payment she reported to the nearby
police station and hence he was arrested.
Remember that not everyone you encounter online has ill
intentions, but being cautious is the best approach to ensure a safe and
enjoyable online dating experience. While love is a beautiful and powerful
emotion, safeguarding your heart and wallet is equally important. By following
these preventive measures and using common sense, you can significantly reduce
the risk of matrimonial scams and focus on building genuine, lasting
connections.
Staying safe on matrimonial sites:
Here are some precautions to take when using matrimonial websites:
- Choose Reputable Platforms: Stick to well-established matrimonial websites with a track record of safety and user protection.
- Protect Personal Information: Be cautious about sharing sensitive data like your address, financial details, or Social Security number.
- Report Suspicious Activity: If you suspect someone is a scammer, report the profile to the platform administrators.
- Trust Your Instincts: If something doesn't feel right, trust your instincts and take a step back.
Governments around the world have taken various steps to
combat matrimonial scams and protect their citizens from online fraud. Some of
them are as stated below
- . Legislation: Our government has been enacting laws and regulations to govern online matrimonial sites in order to prevent scams
- 2. Verification: User is always required to verify their identity via proper government-issued IDs such as Adhar card
- 3. Educational campaigns: several educational campaigns are held in order to spread awareness about the ongoing scams and to help citizens remain safe.
- 4. cyber crime units set up: several teams are set up who are well trained to handle scams related to matrimonial sites
- 5. Support services: victims of Matrimonial scams are provided with services such as counseling and legal assistance.
Conclusion: One should always be informed about online
safety and privacy measures in this age of digital era to reduce matrimonial
scams as much as possible.
I am a passionate cybercrime research enthusiast dedicated to combating online fraud and cybercrime in India. My mission is to contribute to a safer digital environment through the advancement of digital security practices and education..
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