Mumbai, August 1: The police have arrested a 38-year-old woman for allegedly marrying eight men over 15 years and extorting lakhs of rupees from them in Maharashtra's Nagpur. The accused, a teacher by profession, was nabbed at a tea shop on July 29 while reportedly meeting her next target, a potential ninth husband.

According to a News18 Marathi report, the accused woman was identified as Sameera Fatima. Sameera was part of a gang that targeted wealthy, married Muslim men, including senior officials from the Reserve Bank of India. One victim claimed he was duped of INR 50 lakh, while another alleged a loss of INR 15 lakh through a mix of cash and online transfers. Dating App Scam Busted in Borivali: 22 Arrested After Mumbai Police Bust Gang Duping People With Inflated Hotel Bills, Know the Modus Operandi.

Modus Operandi of Looteri Dulhan

As per the police, Sameera used matrimonial sites and social media platforms like Facebook to find and lure her victims. She introduced herself as a struggling divorcee with a child, gaining sympathy through emotional conversations over WhatsApp and video calls. After marriage, she would allegedly blackmail the men, demanding hefty sums and threatening them with false accusations.

In a previous case, Sameera is said to have evaded arrest by pretending to be pregnant. Her arrest last week has now put a spotlight on a long-running con. A case has been registered, and the police are investigating the scale of the fraud and identifying her accomplices. Matrimonial Scam in Maharashtra: Man Dupes Over 20 Women Under Pretext of Marriage in Nalasopara, Arrested.

In July, a gang that allegedly used the dating app Tinder to trap and rob unsuspecting men in Mira-Bhayander near Mumbai was arrested. The gang used to befriend victims through fake Tinder profiles and then lure them into a setup under the pretence of a romantic meeting.

The gang’s modus operandi came to light after a man from Mira-Bhayander in Maharashtra filed a complaint with the police. According to the victim, he had matched with a woman on Tinder and started chatting with her regularly. The account, as later discovered, had been created by one of the accused, Sagar Rawal (26).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 01, 2025 07:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).