New Delhi: A 23-year-old man from Delhi, Tushar Bisht, has been arrested for allegedly scamming more than 700 women via popular dating apps by posing as a US-based freelance model.
Bisht used platforms like Bumble, Snapchat, and WhatsApp to deceive his victims, blackmail them with intimate photos and videos, and extort money, as revealed by Delhi Police.
Bisht, who used images of a Brazilian model and a virtual international mobile number to create fake profiles, targeted women between the ages of 18 and 30.
According to the police, Bisht’s main strategy involved gaining the trust of his victims through casual conversations, only to later coax them into sharing private content.
Once in possession of the sensitive material, he resorted to blackmail, threatening to leak the images or sell them on the dark web unless the victims paid him, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (West), Vichitra Veer.
Police investigations revealed that Bisht had engaged with more than 500 women on Bumble and about 200 others on Snapchat and WhatsApp.
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A raid on his premises led to the recovery of incriminating evidence, including sensitive victim data, financial transaction records related to the extortion, and 13 credit cards from various banks.
Authorities also discovered a virtual mobile number, which Bisht had been using for his fraudulent activities.
The scam first came to light on December 13, 2023, when a Delhi University student filed a complaint with the cyber police.
She claimed that she had met Bisht on Bumble earlier in the year, where he presented himself as a US-based model visiting India for work.
The two engaged in several conversations, and he convinced her to share intimate photos and videos on Snapchat and WhatsApp.
Despite numerous attempts to meet in person, Bisht always avoided in-person meetings, citing various excuses.
The situation escalated when Bisht threatened to release a private video unless the victim paid him money.
After making some initial payments, the victim, under pressure, eventually reached out to her family, who encouraged her to file a complaint.
Following the victim’s report, Delhi Police formed a special team that tracked Bisht to his residence in Shakarpur, East Delhi, where he was arrested.
During questioning, Bisht confessed to using a virtual international number for over two years to create fake identities on dating platforms.
Initially using the scam for amusement, he later turned it into a systematic method of extortion for financial gain.
Bisht, who holds a BBA degree, had been employed as a technical recruiter at a private firm in Noida for three years.
The investigation has since uncovered his interactions with over 60 women from Delhi and surrounding areas.
Additionally, authorities are reviewing two of Bisht’s bank accounts, with one already showing multiple transactions from victims, and further details are expected as the investigation progresses.
