HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar on Saturday warned young women against falling for “rent boyfriend” services being advertised on social media, saying such offers are often used by cyber criminals to cheat and blackmail victims.In a post on X, Sajjanar said these advertisements, which promise confidential and professional companionship, are part of a cyber fraud scheme designed to exploit women by collecting money and personal information, accoridng to news agency PTI.According to him, fraudsters attract women with offers of companionship from handsome young men for activities such as coffee outings, movie dates or shopping trips. He described the trend as a new “dating trap” targeting girls and young women.Sajjanar also shared a poster resembling such advertisements and said cyber criminals use promotional schemes such as “1st August Special – 50% off” to draw attention and encourage people to sign up.He noted that the photographs used in these advertisements are often either AI-generated or taken from the internet to create a false sense of authenticity.The commissioner said victims are typically asked to pay money under various pretexts, including security deposits, advance payments and booking confirmation charges. Once the payment is made, the fraudsters allegedly block all communication with the victims.In some cases, the scammers may also collect phone numbers and personal photographs and later use them for blackmail, he added.Sajjanar said the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police are monitoring such deceptive schemes and will take action against those involved in accordance with the law.He further advised parents to keep an eye on their daughters’ social media activity and smartphone usage to help protect them from cyber fraud.The police commissioner urged anyone who falls victim to such scams to immediately approach the city cyber crime police and report the incident.
