How to Spot a Romance Scammer (Without Losing Your Sense of Humour)

Romance scams cost Indian seniors thousands of crores every year. That's a lot of Parle-G. Let's keep your wallet — and your dignity — intact.

Red flag #1: They are deployed somewhere oddly specific

An oil rig. A UN mission in Antarctica. A submarine that has surprisingly good Jio signal. Real people live in cities. Like Pune.

Red flag #2: They love you by day two

Real attraction takes weeks. 'My soul recognised yours in 36 hours' is what a scammer or a Karol Bagh mattress salesman says.

Red flag #3: They can't video call

Always broken camera. Always 'network issue in Dubai'. A real partner will happily show their face — ideally before showing you their Paytm QR.

Red flag #4: The ask

Gift cards. Crypto. An emergency UPI transfer for a customs fee. If money enters the conversation before in-person chai does, walk away.

What to actually do

Tell a friend. Tell your beta or beti. Report to cybercrime.gov.in. And then — go watch something wholesome instead. Might we suggest the Tingling web series?