# Hyderabad police warn of ‘rent a boyfriend’ scam on social media 2026-08-09T05:47:32+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar has cautioned young women against a 'rent a boyfriend' scam circulating on Instagram, Telegram and Facebook. The fraudsters use AI-generated or internet-sourced photos of young men to offer companionship services, coffee dates for Rs 499, movie dates for Rs 1,249, shopping companion packages for Rs 1,499, event escort for Rs 1,999 and full-day packages for Rs 4,499. They often lure victims with discount offers, then demand money as a security deposit or booking confirmation. Once payment is made via digital wallet or QR code, the accounts are blocked. The scammers may also collect phone numbers and personal photos for blackmail. Police urge victims to report to the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or the city cyber crime police. Parents have been advised to monitor their children's social media and smartphone use. ## Coverage - newindianexpress.com - rediff.com Tags: cyber scam, Hyderabad, police warning, Rent a Boyfriend, social media fraud Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/hyderabad-police-warn-of-rent-a-boyfriend-scam-targeting-women/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/hyderabad-police-warn-of-rent-a-boyfriend-scam-targeting-women/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.