Marriage related frauds, worrisome trend: Sajjanar

Hyderabad City Police warned of rising arranged marriage frauds, with complaints to Hyderabad She Teams. Fraudsters allegedly exploit engagements to build trust, demand money or dowry, and threaten cancellations, prompting calls for vigilance and timely reporting

Hyderabad: The City Police have flagged a worrying rise in marriage-related frauds where unsuspecting young women are allegedly being cheated under the guise of arranged alliances.
Complaints have been regularly lodged with the  Hyderabad She Teams, exposing a calculated pattern followed by fraudsters.

According to officials, the accused are initially approaching families through traditional matchmaking channels. Engagements are conducted formally and once the alliance is publicly announced, they build emotional closeness with the bride-to-be.

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Claiming that the marriage is already fixed, they persuade the young women to trust them completely.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said the men often use emotional manipulation, insisting that since the wedding is confirmed, there is no harm in becoming physically intimate before marriage.

“After exploiting the victim’s trust, they allegedly begin demanding large sums of money or additional dowry to go ahead with the wedding. If the demands are not met, they threaten to cancel the marriage, putting immense pressure on the woman and her family,” Sajjanar said.

With engagements already known among relatives and society, many families hesitate to lodge complaints fearing social embarrassment.

Taking advantage of this silence, the accused reportedly escalate harassment and financial extortion.

The commissioner urged families not to ignore warning signs. He advised thorough background checks of prospective grooms, including their behavior, habits and friend circles, even if the match is arranged by elders.

He also cautioned young women to firmly refuse any pressure for private meetings, physical relationships before marriage or monetary demands and to approach the police without fear.
Women can contact Hyderabad She Teams on WhatsApp – 9490616555 or Dial 100 when in distress.