Hyderabad: Fake marriage bureaus are using non-existent marriage proposals to defraud people. The marketing intelligence team of the detective department found that scamsters exploit the victims’ desperation to find a partner.
The bureaus take money and give the contact number of a potential match, who is actually someone working for them. The match would talk to the victim on the phone and collect details, but later reject the proposal. Around five such marriage bureaus were busted by cops in two months.
Many such bureaus have sprung up in small rooms in various parts of the city. The fraudsters use the matrimonial columns of Telugu and English newspapers to attract clients.
“They do not advertise as agencies. Instead they give the profile of the bride or groom and a contact number. When people call the fraudster would tell them the advertisement was on behalf of a client. They would ask the victims to come to their office or discuss the deal over the phone,” said an official from the marketing intelligence team. The bureau agent would then ask for money in order to process the marriage proposal.
“In a recent case a victim named M. Raghuram Reddy contacted one phone number after he saw an advertisement in a Telugu daily. The receiver introduced himself as an official of Nandini Marriage Bureau and asked him to visit their office in Saidabad colony.
The person showed him a match and asked him to pay Rs 10,000 for processing the proposal. After paying the victim was given contact details of the potential match. The victim talked to her and she took his details. But, later she stopped answering calls. “When he inquired with the marriage bureau the agent asked him to deposit Rs 5,000 for further assistance,” said inspector G. Shanker Raju.
There are many such marriage bureaus functioning in the city. Victims who were cheated by such fraudsters can approach the police.
