‘Rent a Boyfriend’ Scam: Hyderabad Police Warn Young Women of Cyber Fraud, Blackmail and Extortion Traps
The Hyderabad City Police have issued a public advisory cautioning young women against falling for "rent a boyfriend" commercial services circulating across various social media platforms.
The Hyderabad City Police have issued a public advisory cautioning young women against falling for "rent a boyfriend" commercial services circulating across various social media platforms. City Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar raised the alarm on Saturday, warning that these offers-which advertise confidential and professional paid companionship-are deceptive traps orchestrated by cybercriminals to defraud and blackmail victims.
According to the police chief, fraudsters behind these schemes lure individuals under the guise of discreet companionship. Once contact is established, perpetrators frequently extract personal information or private photographs, which are then weaponized for extortion and harassment. Muzaffarnagar Shocker: Girl Gets Classmate Beaten by Boyfriend After Trivial Dispute in Uttar Pradesh College, Shocking Video Surfaces.
"The rent boyfriend offers, promising confidential and professional companionship, are an attempt by cyber criminals to cheat and blackmail the victims with personal photos," Commissioner Sajjanar stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Growing Threat of Social Media Cyber Fraud
The warning comes amid a broader rise in targeted cyber crimes across major metropolitan areas, where scammers exploit online trends, dating culture, and social media anonymity. Law enforcement officials noted that cybercriminals routinely use fake profiles, encrypted messaging channels, and fabricated reviews to establish initial trust with potential victims. Navi Mumbai Shocker: Woman Loses Nearly 9 Lakh to Conman Who Promised To Reunite Her With Boyfriend by Black Magic.
Police have urged citizens, particularly young adults, to maintain strict privacy standards online, avoid engaging with unverified social media services promising paid companionship, and never share private media or financial credentials with strangers.
Authorities advised anyone who encounters such scams or becomes a victim of cyber extortion to report the incident immediately via the national cybercrime portal or by calling the cybercrime helpline at 1930.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 08, 2026 05:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
