A Dubai-based European chef fell victim to a scam, losing around BD1,000 after going on a date arranged through a dating app.
The 39-year-old expat said he matched with a Russian woman on Bumble on Friday. The conversation quickly moved from the app to another platform, and a date was set up at a bar that same night.
‘It was moving too quickly, but I wasn’t complaining,’ he said.
Upon his arrival, she was already waiting. What followed was a suspicious, ‘orchestrated’ set of events, he recalled.
‘I ordered a drink, but she said she was hungry and ordered a fruit platter and salmon. Then came several rounds of drinks,’ he said.
‘For someone so petite, I was surprised at her capacity. That should have been a red flag.’
As the date continued, they were approached by a couple who urged the man to buy a flower bouquet for the woman, which he did begrudgingly.
When all was said and done, the bill came to the man. He was shocked to see a total of AED9,800 (BD980), including AED500 (BD50) for the ‘miserable bouquet.’ He was left standing there for over an hour trying to settle the bill as his UAE card continuously declined. She reportedly watched along with no remorse, shaking her head when he asked if she had any money to help.
After everything was settled, she told him she was going home and left. The next day, she messaged him, thanking him for the evening and hoping they would meet again.
He blocked her.
A Khaleej Times report from last year managed to uncover a racket where bars and nightclubs hired women with fake dating app profiles. The women lured men to the venue before ordering overpriced items and then pressured them to pay the bill.
The man came across this report and went back to the bar the following day, threatening to report them. In response, management offered him a partial refund. ‘When I threatened to report them, they offered me a partial refund. But if the charges were legitimate, why would they offer to refund anything?’ he asked.
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