Every big city has its own hustle and its own traps. Inspired by real experiences shared by Reddit users, this list highlights some of the most common scams reported across Bengaluru, Delhi, Pune, and beyond.
We’ve organized them with context and prevention tips so others can recognize the pattern before it’s too late.
1) Stranded Family Who Lost All Money
“Hindi aati hai?” – Yes? Then hear our sad story: we lost our wallet and all our money, please help us get back home.
This is a scam that’s been running for decades and happens in almost every major city. They usually appear as a “family” to seem genuine and tell you they’ve been robbed while chasing their dreams. You’ll mostly find them around busy spots like Majestic, railway stations, Anand Rao Circle, outside IT parks, etc.
Their signature line? “Hindi aati hai?” Just ignore them or say no and walk away quickly.
2) Network Marketing / MLM / QNet Scam
So you’ve recently made a new friend, or an old one has suddenly reappeared. You see their Insta stories — fancy trips, hashtags like #passiveincome #financialfreedom.
Soon, they start talking about escaping the 9–5 life and invite you to an “exclusive business opportunity.” You meet their “senior” in a café; the guy in a blazer acting like a billionaire. You’re asked to pay a token amount (₹5k–10k) and then invest ₹1–3 lakhs “to get started.” Often, they even push you to take a personal loan.
After paying, you find out you didn’t “invest”, you just bought some worthless products. The only way to recover money is to recruit more people. That’s the MLM cycle; only those at the top profit, while the rest lose. Sadly, some have even taken extreme steps after falling for this trap.
3) Dating App: Heavy Bill at the Bar/Café
You’ve moved to the city and finally started dating. You match with someone amazing, she picks a place, and you show up like a gentleman.
A few drinks later, the bill is ₹50,000. You realize you could’ve given samosa–chai parties for life with that amount. You pay up quietly (thanks to the bouncers) only to realize later that the girl was a planted agent. The bar uses her to lure men who’ll foot huge fake bills, and she gets a commission. The drinks? Often just colored water.
4) Dating App: Honey-Trapped by Your “Honey”
This time, you’re cautious. You pick the meeting spot yourself and everything seems fine. Then she invites you to her place.
Cut to: you’re being blackmailed by her gang with a secret video, demanding several lakhs. Classic honey-trap setup.
5) Cyber Scam: Online Friend or Stranger Danger
You get a friend request from a “dream girl.” Her grammar’s bad, but who cares, you’re a gentleman. Soon, she invites you to a video call.
Fast forward, you’re being blackmailed with a morphed or recorded video of you during a private call. They demand lakhs. This also happens on dating apps. If someone quickly pushes for a video call, beware.
6) Like/Review “Task Completion” Scam
You get an offer to like YouTube videos or write reviews for small rewards. It seems legit as you even get paid at first!
Then you’re invited for “VIP tasks” that offer bigger returns but need a refundable deposit. Once you pay — poof! They vanish. You’re blocked everywhere.
7) Data Entry Job Scam
You apply for a data entry job and sign an agreement. Days later, you receive a fake legal notice claiming you missed your target and owe a penalty or face jail. The notice, the “lawyer,” everything — fake.
8) Fake COD Order Scam
Your parents accept a COD delivery in your name, assuming it’s yours. Later, you realize you never ordered it. The item is worthless, and the money’s gone. This happens often in homes where multiple online orders are common.
9) Digital Arrest Scam
You get a WhatsApp call from someone pretending to be law enforcement. They claim your Aadhaar or passport is linked to illegal activity (like a FedEx drug parcel) and say you’re under “digital arrest.”
They keep you on a video call and demand lakhs to “resolve” the issue. It’s 100% fake.
- Biggest digital arrest scam: How I lost ₹23 crores to cyber criminals
- Gold Sold, Deposits Broken: Gujarat Doctor Loses 19 Crores To ‘Digital Arrest’
10) Fake Police Call – “Your Relative is in Jail”
Someone pretending to be police calls, claiming your friend or family member is in jail and you must pay bail immediately. Panic ensues and that’s exactly what they rely on.
11) Broker Scam – Advance Payment Before Seeing the Flat
You find a PG or flat number on Google Maps or WhatsApp groups. The “broker” asks for a token before you visit and promises to return the full amount if you don’t like the flat or PG. It’s a scam!
Never pay before physically seeing the property these fake brokers vanish once the payment is made.
12) Fake “Apple Products” on Streets
Someone approaches you claiming to have genuine Apple gear (like AirPods) at a big discount. They show fake proof and tell a sob story about how it ended up with them.
The product is fake, barely worth a few hundred rupees.
13) Fake Listings by “CRPF Jawan” on Facebook/OLX
You’ll see ads titled “Urgently selling due to army transfer.” The “seller” (posing as a CRPF jawan) asks for a small token or courier charge. Once paid — gone. There was never a product.
14) Fake Online Trading/Investment Scams
You get a DM from a “trading expert” or fake firm promising crazy returns. Sometimes they even use AI deepfakes of celebrities to make it look real.
You invest. You find that you can’t withdraw your money. Stick to verified platforms like Groww, Zerodha, or SmallCase.
15) Lending Money to Someone in a PG
Common in PGs: the cook, warden, or caretaker borrows money “for an emergency.” They return it once, gain trust, then disappear with a bigger amount often after borrowing from multiple people.
Same goes for casual acquaintances — ex-colleagues, or that guy you played badminton with twice. Don’t lend unless you truly know them.
16) Borrowing Your Phone for an “Urgent Call”
Someone asks to borrow your phone for an emergency. While pretending to make a call, they might transfer money, steal data, or perform a SIM swap.
Politely refuse instead, offer to dial the number and put it on speaker.
17) Auto Scam
Classic Bengaluru story. You hand over a ₹500 note, the driver swaps it with a ₹100 and claims that’s what you gave.
Also, avoid offline bookings. The quoted fare is often 3x higher, and if they use a meter, it’s likely tampered to inflate the bill.
18) Job Application Scam
If a job asks for any payment, application fee, deposit, “refundable processing charge” — it’s a scam. No genuine employer does that.
19) Blind Date/Social Mixer Dinner Nights
You might see Instagram ads for exclusive dinner events with a “1:1 gender ratio.” The entry fee (especially for men) is steep.
Some of these are fine, but many hire actors to pose as dates. Safer alternatives? Join interest-based communities; board games, reading clubs, sketching groups, cycling meetups where it’s about connection, not conversion.
20) Asking Money with Printed Tragedy Papers
For over a decade, this has been a recurring scam. Someone hands you a laminated paper describing a tragic life story and asks for donations. You’ll see them in buses, signals, and crowded junctions.
They’re not individuals in need, they’re part of an organized racket.
Disclaimer: This post is originally shared by a Reddit user. It has been lightly edited for grammar and readability. All credits to the original creator and commenters who shared their experiences.
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