Can you identify a blind date scam?

Dating is a modern day social ritual. The dating scene has evolved a lot over the ages. From a time when dating involved asking a person out whom you met in class, in the office or at a friend’s place the dating game has gone online thanks to the internet and the dozen odd dating apps.

There is a lot more to dating apps then meets the eye

By connecting to new users who may be in another part of the city whom you have never seen or met created the opportunity to expand your reach for finding a dating partner.

While the bright side of the picture may be increasing your reach in terms of meeting with new prospective partners, the dark side is that there are few scammers who operate multiple profiles just to con people.

The modus operandi of the scam

Generally males are targeted in this scam.
How does this scam operate?
The scam operates in cooperation with a couple of shady restaurants or bars.
The front end of the scam is the profile of a girl created by the scammer.

When you swipe right with the girl and want to meet her the actual scam gameplay begins to unfold.

The next step of the scammer

The girl would agree to meet you in a Bar she picks. She would insist that that is the only place where you can meet even though it may be far off from your location.
She would insist on meeting you there as soon as you start chatting with her.

This is the first red flag as normally when people initiate a contact on a dating app they are likely to chat and know each other better and then the exchange of numbers happens.
As part of the scam the girl is acting as per a script too keen to share her number and meet you.
When you reach the location you may be asked to pay a hefty cover charges.The girl insists that you pay and enter. If you try to back out or question she may even mock you.
This is the 2nd red flag.
Next comes the ordering part. Here whatever you order the bill is going to be very exorbitant.
The idea of the scam is to make you pay 5X or 10X the amount of the bill. The bar or restaurant are very much part of the scam.
If you question the exorbitant charges or refuse the pay there are bouncers to rough you up and coerce you to pay up.
In the end the date ends up on a bitter note.
There are numerous cases of unsuspecting guys being scammed in this manner.

How to save yourself from such scams?

Caution is the way to go forward.
In some cultures it may be ok to start a conversation by exchanging phone numbers and agreeing to meet however it is always better to get to know a person a bit more over a chat or a phone conversation before meeting.
If the place to meet is a Bar or pub that is in a far off place and you know nothing about it then please do a review check online.
If the place is shady then someone may have put a review about it.
If the girl is forcing you to pay for the entry (cover charges) without discussing things with you or taking your agreement then be cautious moving forward.
You can always check if the place has cover charges by calling up the pace beforehand and doing some online research can save you from walking into a date trap.

The idea of a date is to be able to meet a new person and this should not end up in one person being scammed and robbed of his money.

How would you deal with such a situation

From calling the cops to simply reducing to pay the cover charges and walking off there are so many options based on the choices you make and at what point you identify a red flag.
I hope you never end up in such a tricky situation however in case you were to then how would you deal with it?
Please let me know in the comment section below.
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Also do share if you have come across or heard of any such scam so that we all can be saved from such scammers and tricksters.

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