Dubai nightclub scam: Tinder 'dates' vanish after leaving men with the bill

The scam follows a predictable pattern: women with fake profiles initiate conversations with men on Tinder, Bumble, and other dating apps. They then lure them to specific nightclubs, order costly drinks, and then vanish. — Image by freepik

If you swipe right on Tinder and are invited to a date at a nightclub, beware: you might end up swiping your card for up to AED10,000 (RM11,826). A racket involving fake Tinder profiles, middlemen, and nightclubs has been uncovered, raking in thousands of dirhams each night.

The scam follows a predictable pattern: women with fake profiles initiate conversations with men on Tinder, Bumble, and other dating apps. They then lure them to specific nightclubs, order costly drinks, and then vanish. Patrons are left with bills ranging from AED3,000 (RM3,547) to AED10,000. The scammers then block their targets on WhatsApp and delete their social media profiles.