Kodagu Police Arrest Gang for Online Dating App Scam

The gang allegedly advertised services of women for sexual favors on the ‘Locanto’ app,

Kushalnagar: In a significant breakthrough, Kushalnagar Police in Kodagu  have apprehended an eight-member group, including a juvenile, involved in duping the public via an online dating app in Bengaluru. 

The suspects, all hailing from Hassan district, have been identified as Manjunath (29) from Sullakki village in Sakaleshpur, C.S. Sandeep Kumar (25), C.B. Rakesh (24), and K. Jayalakshmi (29) from Chikkasathigala village, S. Sahana (19) and Pallavi (30) from Ramanagara village in Belur taluk, and Abhishek (24) from Heragu village. The juvenile's identity remains undisclosed due to legal protections.

During the operation, the Police seized 17 mobile phones, a tablet, a laptop, and Rs. 24,800 in cash from the suspects.

The gang allegedly advertised services of women for sexual favors on the ‘Locanto’ app, providing contact numbers and inviting potential customers to reputed hotels in various cities. They then cheated these individuals by collecting advance payments online.

A victim who is resident of Baichanahalli in Kushalnagar, encountered an ad on the app stating, ‘Kushalnagar top model service available, Kushalnagar-23,’ with a contact number. When he called, the person on the other end, posing as the ‘manager’ of a well-known hotel in Kushalnagar, claimed the lodge offered massages and sexual services by female masseurs.

The 'manager' quoted rates of Rs. 1,500 per hour and Rs. 4,000 for an overnight stay, asking Manju to pay online. Trusting the arrangement, the victim transferred Rs. 1,500 via G-pay. Upon further communication, the 'manager' asked victim to visit the hotel, share his location, and pay more money.

Growing suspicious, the victim went to the hotel mentioned in the app and found out that the hotel staff were unaware of such services. The staff revealed that several others had come with similar stories. 

Victim filed a complaint at Kushalnagar Police Station on June 29. Following his report, a special team was formed and the team successfully dismantled the racket, arresting the suspects in Bengaluru on July 6.

Kodagu SP K. Ramarajan informed the media that the gang had swindled over Rs. 3 lakh from various individuals using the names of high-end hotels across multiple districts. The Police have advised the public to be wary of such scams and report any suspicious activities involving human trafficking or illegal trades to the nearest Police station or call 112.

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