Beautiful girls, bar date and hefty bills:MP businessmen getting trapped in drunken girl scam; keep mum due to fear of shame

A new scam is spreading in Madhya Pradesh, where a woman approaches men through the dating app and lures them, takes them to bars, orders drinks and food, and forced to pay exorbitant bills. The victims are often too embarrassed to file complaints, fearing social stigma and damage to their reputation. The scam: How the trap is set What began as a common tourist fraud internationally has now reached the state capital Bhopal. A network of women and bar owners is targeting young men seeking partners on dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge. They create attractive profiles and lure victims to pre-planned bars. Once inside, the women order expensive drinks in a short time, making the bill skyrocket. Then the bar’s management and bouncers trap the victim, forcing them to pay the huge amount. A victim’s story: Businessman forced to pay ₹41,700 Siddharth (name changed), a young businessman from Hoshangabad Road in Bhopal, was searching for a serious relationship on Tinder when he received a message from a girl named Ritika. She claimed she was a background dancer and had come to Bhopal for her pregnant sister’s medical treatment. After chatting for a day, she suggested a date. When Siddharth asked to meet at the popular 10 Number Market, Ritika refused, saying her brother-in-law’s acquaintances lived there and it wouldn’t be safe. The date that turned into a trap Siddharth arrived at the bar, where Ritika was already waiting. They barely started talking when she ordered expensive drinks without even asking him. They had two pegs each, but she quickly ordered more, including shots of Grey Goose. Siddharth became suspicious and warned her that the bill would increase. Ritika ignored him. Then the waiter intervened. Bouncer trap: “You cannot leave without paying” The waiter initially told Siddharth the bill was around Rs 17–18 thousand. But when Siddharth insisted on checking, the final bill came to Rs 41,700. Ritika pretended to be on a phone call and walked out. As Siddharth followed her, the bar’s bouncers surrounded him and refused to let him leave without paying. Ritika was allowed to escape, while Siddharth was forced to pay the full amount. With only Rs 5,000 in his wallet, he made partial payments and later borrowed money from friends to clear the bill. Victim blocked, scammer disappears After paying, Siddharth searched for Ritika near Rani Kamalapati railway station but could not find her. He saw her once standing with a young man, and she quickly left on a motorcycle. When Siddharth tried calling her, she ignored the calls. Later she replied that she was at Bansal Hospital with her sister. When Siddharth confronted her and called her a gold-digger, she blocked him and disappeared. Many victims, no complaints Siddharth is not the only victim. Many young men in Bhopal are falling into the same trap every day. Most are afraid to file complaints due to fear of public humiliation and reputation loss. What the investigation reveals Dainik Bhaskar’s investigation shows that the “Drunk Girl Scam” is organized and well-coordinated. It involves: The scam is spreading rapidly in the city, and victims are losing large sum of amount.