Years of Loneliness Makes Ahmedabad Man Opt For Escort Services, Ends Up Getting Laid In Cyber Scam

Ahmedabad: A man's quest for companionship has taken a dark turn as he fell victim to a cyber scam that left him Rs 3 lakh poorer. The man, a 34-year-old employee at a multinational company in Anand, was targeted after searching for an escort service online. The victim, who has been living alone since his legal separation in 2015, felt increasingly lonely and sought the services of sex workers, as per a TOI report. On September 25, he searched for "escort service" on the internet, leading him to contact a man named ‘Manik Gaus’ via WhatsApp. Gaus claimed to be an escort service provider and sent him pictures of several women.

Unraveling the ScamImpressed by the images, the man agreed to pay whatever was demanded. He initially registered with Gaus's service, paying Rs 6,000. Following this, he selected two women and was directed to a hotel in Ahmedabad, where he paid around Rs 40,000. However, Sharma soon found himself being charged for various fictitious fees, including insurance, police protection, social security, and hotel entry, which kept adding up.For about a week, the victim was sent to different hotels in Kheda and Ahmedabad, forced to pay amounts daily without receiving any actual service. When the promised services failed to materialise, he voiced his frustration to Gaus, who then demanded an additional Rs 53,000 to finally deliver the service. Taking ActionSuspicious and feeling cheated, the man decided to report the matter to the police. On his complaint, the Mahemdavad town police registered a case of cheating against unknown individuals under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. Investigations are currently underway to track down the perpetrators of this elaborate scam.