'Fake bride' extorts Rs 1.1 crore from UK-based engineer after video call

A UK-based software engineer, identified as Sunny (name changed), was extorted of over Rs 1.1 crore by a woman he met through a matrimonial site. As per ToI report, the Bengaluru police were able to freeze Rs 84 lakh in the woman's accounts.

Sunny, 41, had come to Bengaluru for training purposes and registered himself on a matrimonial website with the intention of finding a life partner. A woman with a fake profile befriended him on the site, and after a few days of exchanging messages, they shared their mobile phone numbers. The woman expressed an interest in marrying Sunny and claimed to be living with her mother after her father's demise. On July 2, she called him and borrowed Rs 1,500, citing her mother's medical emergency, ToI report stated.

On July 4, around midnight, the woman made a video call to Sunny and allegedly exposed herself while secretly recording the call. She then threatened to share the video with his parents unless he complied with her demands. In fear of humiliation, Sunny transferred over Rs 1.14 crore to two bank accounts and four mobile numbers provided by the woman.


Sunny revealed that he learned the woman's real name only after he started making the payments. As she continued to blackmail him for more money, he decided to approach the police and lodged a complaint. The case is being handled under the Information Technology Act, and efforts are being made to trace the accused, who likely created a fake profile with the intention of extorting money from people, according to a senior police officer.