From Match to Money Trap: How Matrimonial Apps Are Being Misused by Scammers

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a fresh warning over the growing misuse of matrimonial and dating platforms by cybercriminals to carry out investment and cryptocurrency frauds, highlighting how emotionally vulnerable individuals are being financially exploited under the guise of marriage proposals.

According to a detailed analysis by the National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), there has been a noticeable rise in complaints linked to fraudsters operating on popular matrimonial websites such as Jeevansaathi.com, Shaadi.com, Matrimony.com and several regional platforms. Dating applications, including Tinder, Bumble and OkCupid are also increasingly being used for similar scams.

The findings are based on complaints received through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

The MHA noted that fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals who are genuinely seeking marriage or long-term relationships. By creating fake profiles and presenting themselves as ideal matches, cybercriminals emotionally manipulate victims before luring them into fraudulent investment schemes.

How the scam operates

As per the advisory, the first step in the scam involves the creation of fake profiles on matrimonial and dating platforms. Fraudsters often use stolen or morphed photographs, along with fabricated personal details such as name, age, profession and income, to make the profile appear credible. In many cases, they claim to be well-educated, financially stable and professionally successful to attract attention.

Once the profile is active, scammers initiate contact with genuine users by expressing interest in marriage proposals. They often project themselves as high-status professionals, such as individuals working abroad, serving in the armed forces or employed with reputed multinational companies. To maximise their chances, they reportedly use age and income filters available on platforms to specifically target financially well-off individuals.

After making initial contact, fraudsters focus on building emotional trust. Through frequent communication via phone calls, chats, emails and video calls on messaging platforms like WhatsApp, they attempt to create a sense of intimacy and emotional dependence. In some cases, video calls are conducted using fake or edited backgrounds to reinforce the illusion of authenticity.

Once trust is established, the scam escalates. Fraudsters introduce false investment opportunities, often linked to cryptocurrency trading or high-return schemes. Victims are pressured to invest money by creating emotional or urgent situations, with promises of quick and unusually high returns. In several instances, victims realise they have been duped only after transferring large sums of money.

Advisory and precautions

The Ministry has urged users of matrimonial and dating platforms to exercise extreme caution while interacting with strangers online. It has advised people to verify identities thoroughly before developing trust or sharing sensitive information. Conducting background checks and using reverse image searches to confirm whether profile photographs are genuine can help detect fake accounts.

Users have also been cautioned against sharing personal details, private photographs or financial information with individuals they have not met in person. The MHA stressed that no money should be transferred online without proper verification of the recipient's identity.
Additionally, the advisory warns against falling for investment schemes that promise unrealistically high returns within a short period. "If an offer appears too good to be true, it likely is," the ministry noted, urging citizens to avoid making financial decisions based on online relationships.

With cyber-enabled financial frauds becoming increasingly sophisticated, the MHA has reiterated the importance of awareness and vigilance, encouraging victims to promptly report suspicious activity on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal to help curb such crimes.