Tinder Trap: How Delhi man was scammed into paying Rs 1.2 lakh at Café

New Delhi: In a city where dating apps thrive, a quest for friendship turned into a nightmare for an aspiring civil service candidate in Delhi. It all began when he matched with a woman named Varsha on Tinder and arranged to celebrate her birthday at the trendy Black Mirror Cafe on Vikas Marg. On June 23, anticipation filled the air as the man arrived at the café, ready to impress Varsha. 

They ordered snacks and indulged in two cakes. After that, Varsha consumed four shots of fruit wine. However, the romantic evening unraveled when Varsha abruptly cited a family emergency and departed.

Meet your Dream Date from Tinder Versha aka Afsan Parveen aka Ayesha aka Noor who was arrested from Black Mirror Café in Laxmi Nagar, Delhi for Dating Scam.
Police arrested Versha and the Cafe owner Akshay Pahwa for forcing a UPSC aspirant to pay a bill of Rs. 1,21,917.70. pic.twitter.com/ZFcQKKebgQ

— NCMIndia Council For Men Affairs (@NCMIndiaa) June 29, 2024

Shocking bill of 1.2 lakhs

The evening's charm quickly dissipated when the bill arrived—a staggering Rs 1,21,917.70, far exceeding the reasonable cost of their modest order. Bewildered, the man questioned the exorbitant charges, only to face threats and coercion to settle the bill.

Unraveling the scam

Distressed and deceived, the man reluctantly transferred the amount online to Akshay Pahwa, one of the café owners. Following the harrowing ordeal, he reported the incident to the police, leading to Akshay's arrest.

Investigations revealed that the Black Mirror Café, co-owned by Akshay Pahwa, Vansh Pahwa, and Ansh Grover, orchestrated the scam. Operating with the aid of 'table managers,' including Aryan, they employed deceptive tactics to lure victims through fake profiles on dating apps.

Behind the Masks: Afsan Parveen's role

The mysterious Varsha was identified as Afsan Parveen (25), alias Aaysha or Noor, who was apprehended during another scam operation. Aryan, acting as Varsha, enticed the victim to the café using Afsan's photo and fabricated stories.

Mechanics of extortion

Further investigation unearthed a disturbing mechanism: the café systematically divided the ill-gotten gains. A hefty 15% went to the girl (Afsan), while 45% was shared between the table managers and café staff. The remaining 40% lined the pockets of the café owners.