Tushar Singh Bisht, a 23-year-old man from Delhi, has been arrested for defrauding over 700 women across India by posing as a US-based model on popular dating apps and social media, including Snapchat.
The arrest came after an investigation by the Cyber Police Station in West Delhi, which uncovered a complex scheme of manipulation, blackmail, and extortion targeting women aged 18 to 30.
Here’s how he scams
Tushar worked as a technical recruiter at a private company in Noida. He lived a double life. By day, he led a stable life, and at night, through dating apps such as Bumble and social media platforms like Snapchat, he trapped women. His scam began three years ago and within no time turned sophisticated, being driven by both greed and the lust for power over vulnerable women.
By using an international mobile number acquired via an app, Tushar created fake profiles on different websites, claiming himself to be a US-based freelance model visiting India. He used stolen photos and backstories of a Brazilian model for making his persona sound more authentic. This helped him gain the victim’s trust, who were initially drawn to his charm and apparent success.
Tushar would ask the victims to move the conversations from dating apps to private channels like WhatsApp and Snapchat as soon as he had established contact with his victims. He would gradually persuade his victims to give him private images and videos while posing as friends.
Blackmailing
However, what started as a form of entertainment soon turned into a vicious blackmailing spree. Tushar started threatening to upload these private materials online or sell them on the dark web unless his victims paid him large sums of money. Many women were intimidated by his pressure, fearing the consequences of their intimate content being exposed.
Tushar targeted mostly young women, most of whom were either students or just beginning their adult life as working professionals. The second-year student of Delhi University was one of them. In December 2024, the victim filed a complaint with the Cyber Police Station. The girl shared her traumatizing experience after she had crossed paths with Tushar in January 2024 through the dating app Bumble. He persuaded her to share intimate videos, which he then used to demand money. When she failed to meet his financial demands, he threatened to release the videos.
“I was embarrassed, and he kept pushing me for more money. I was scared that my life would be ruined,” said the victim, who eventually turned to her family for help. This brave decision led to the police investigation and ultimately to Tushar’s arrest.
Investigation underway
Under the direction of ACP Arvind Yadav, the Cyber Police began a thorough investigation to find the offender. Tushar was found by the police in the Shakarpur neighborhood of East Delhi after a combination of technical analysis, intelligence collection, and careful monitoring of his internet activity.
During the raid, Tushar’s cell phone was seized by investigators along with other pieces of evidence that implicated him, such as the virtual international number he used to extort his victims. Police also recovered over 60 WhatsApp chat logs and 13 credit cards from various banks to link him to dozens of victims in Delhi and the surrounding areas.
Further inquiries show that Tushar maintained two checking accounts, one of which was used to receive the extorted funds. The second is still being looked into by the police as more proof of his illicit actions.
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