In a bizarre twist of fate for online dating, a woman from Bengaluru found herself in an awkward and upsetting situation after her date from Bumble decided to disappear mid-way through their meal, leaving her to cover the entire bill.
The incident, which she shared on the popular social media platform Reddit, detailed her encounter with a man named Shaamal S. S., whom she met on Bumble. He had reportedly claimed to be a student from Fiji visiting India for a management course. Their initial conversations were pleasant, leading them to agree on a meeting at ‘SkyDeck by Sherlock’s’ on MG Road.
According to her post, the date itself seemed to go well initially. However, the situation took a turn for the worse when it was time to settle the bill. The man excused himself, stating he was going downstairs to buy cigarettes, but never returned. The woman was then left to pay for everything they had ordered. Adding to her suspicion, she noted that the restaurant staff seemed to know him well, and they had exchanged significant glances during the date.
She posted a screenshot of her WhatsApp conversation with the man and captioned her Reddit post as “Brewery fake dating profile scam,” suggesting she believes this might be a recurring pattern of fraudulent activity.
Online Reactions and Advice
The story quickly gained traction on Reddit, with many users expressing sympathy and offering advice. Common sentiments included warnings about meeting strangers from dating apps too soon and being cautious during initial encounters. Some users suggested potential legal recourse, while others advised her to consider it a learning experience and a story to tell.
One user commented, “Sorry to hear about it, also do not quickly jump into meeting without properly knowing someone online.” Another added, “So sorry for what you had to go through. Please be careful.”
Practical advice also poured in, with one user suggesting, “Could happen to anyone. Just consult a lawyer on this, if there is something legally you can do. Otherwise, just move on.” Another suggested a more light-hearted approach: “I can understand why it is bothering you, because someone scammed you and now you feel like a fool. But the more you will think about it, the more stress you will cause to yourself. Instead laugh it off and think that now you have a good story to tell.”
However, some users expressed frustration with such incidents becoming more common, with one remarking, “More reasons to not get any dates in Bengaluru,” and another dismissively stating, “Oh well another scam, another normal day in Bengaluru.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. The claims have not been independently verified and are presented as shared by the user.)