A 23-year-old man from Delhi, Tushar Singh Bisht, was arrested for scamming over 700 women by posing as a US-based model on dating platforms. While working as a technical recruiter in Noida, Tushar led a double life, manipulating women for personal gain. He was arrested in East Delhi’s Shakarpur area on Friday.
Tushar, who holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, came from a modest background with his father working as a driver and his mother a homemaker. Despite a stable job, he ventured into cybercrime, driven by greed and a desire to exploit women.
Modus Operandi:
Tushar used an app to obtain a virtual international mobile number and created fake profiles on popular dating apps like Bumble, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. Presenting himself as a freelance model from the US visiting India, he used photos stolen from a Brazilian model to create a convincing persona. His primary targets were women aged 18-30, whom he befriended online.
Once trust was built, Tushar would convince victims to share intimate photos or videos. Initially, these interactions were harmless, but they soon evolved into blackmail. Tushar threatened to release the content online or sell it on the dark web if the victims refused to pay him money.
Victims:
Tushar’s cyber exploits impacted more than 500 women on Bumble and over 200 on Snapchat and WhatsApp. One of his victims, a second-year Delhi University student, approached the Cyber Police Station after Tushar blackmailed her into paying money, threatening to release a private video. She eventually sought help from her family, leading to the police investigation.
Investigation:
Under the supervision of ACP Arvind Yadav, the Cyber Police traced Tushar’s activities through technical analysis and intelligence gathering. A raid at his residence in Shakarpur resulted in Tushar’s arrest and the recovery of incriminating evidence, including a mobile phone, an international mobile number, and 13 credit cards. Over 60 WhatsApp conversations with women from Delhi and nearby areas were also discovered, revealing a pattern of blackmail.
The police identified two bank accounts linked to Tushar, one of which contained payments made by his victims. Investigations are ongoing to uncover more details regarding the second account.
