India, Nov. 6 -- A 63-year-old man from Horamavu in East Bengaluru lost Rs. 32 lakh in a WhatsApp-based dating scam that ran for over a month before he realised the fraud. The incident took place between September 5 and October 18 and was reported to the East CEN Crime Police on October 23.

According to a Times of India report, the man received a call from someone claiming to represent a private dating agency that arranged meetings with women from a "high-profile" network. The caller asked him to pay a registration charge of Rs. 1,950 to activate his membership. Believing the offer to be genuine, the man transferred the amount online.

After the payment, he received photos of three women through WhatsApp and was asked to select one. He c...