Coimbatore, Sep 23 (IANS) More than 50 complaints of matrimonial fraud have been reported in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore so far, with scammers targeting unmarried men over 40 through online platforms, police said.
Coimbatore Rural police have received 25 complaints involving such schemes, while the city cybercrime wing has recorded around 30.
Investigators said the fraud often unfolds over several months, making it harder for victims to recognise the deception before they lose money.
According to district cybercrime inspector K. Kavitha, women posing as prospective partners establish contact with men seeking marriage and build a relationship through calls and online messages. Once trust develops and marriage appears possible, the fraudsters encourage the men to set aside money. They eventually introduce an investment opportunity and persuade their targets to transfer funds. The financial loss can be compounded by emotional distress when victims discover that the relationship was fabricated, police said.
Details commonly shared on matrimonial websites, including age, qualifications, income and property ownership, can help fraudsters identify and approach potential targets. Some sites allow these details to be viewed without payment.
Police have urged people using matrimonial platforms to verify identities and avoid sending money or making investments at the request of someone they have met only online.
A prolonged conversation or apparent commitment to marriage does not establish that a person or an investment proposal is genuine. The complaints form part of a broader rise in reported cybercrime in the district.
Coimbatore Rural cybercrime police registered 118 cases in the first nine months of the year, including 100 in the past three months.
Police said 25 people have been arrested and about Rs 2.10 crore recovered so far. The rural unit has received 4,360 cybercrime complaints this year, with reported losses totalling around Rs 9 crore.
Officers previously tended to register a case when a complainant reported losing more than Rs 5 lakh. Over the past two months, they have also registered FIRs in cases involving losses of around Rs 1 lakh, Kavitha said.
Fake online trading generated 216 complaints, while online job scams accounted for 200. Police also recorded 36 complaints involving digital arrest scams, 34 related to fraudulent know-your-customer updates, 39 involving malicious APK files and 25 concerning fake customer care services.
–IANS
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