Matrimony.com, a matchmaking service provider based in Chennai, is raising awareness through the ‘Safe Matrimony’ campaign to help customers protect themselves from fraudsters on matchmaking platforms. The company is guiding users on staying safe in the digital realm and ensuring safety within the matchmaking ecosystem.

It has roped in leading actor Vidya Balan for this campaign aimed at promoting public awareness about online frauds.

The matchmaking platform has identified certain common frauds like fake customs fee, emergency cash requirement, cash on delivery and sextortion that are regularly used by fraudsters to dupe people on matrimonial sites across India.

The company highlighted various fraudulent tactics used by scammers. In one scheme, fraudsters deceive individuals by demanding a fictitious customs fee under the pretence of releasing a gift. Another method involves sending a product through cash on delivery, falsely claiming a wrong item was dispatched, and subsequently receiving credited funds. Additionally, in cases of sextortion, scammers lure victims into viewing explicit online content and later extort money from them through blackmail.

The ‘Safe Matrimony’ campaign is aimed at increasing awareness among people about the modus operandi used by frauds in the online world to extract money, said Murugavel Janakiraman, Chairman and Managing Director, Matrimony.com.

In the campaign video, Vidya Balan discusses these scams, emphasizing the significance of maintaining vigilance in the digital realm and offering safety measures. She also highlights the initiatives undertaken by Matrimony.com, including permitting only mobile-verified profiles, showcasing government ID-verified member badges, and employing AI to detect and remove dubious profiles.

Arjun Bhatia, Chief Marketing Officer, Matrimony.com, said the campaign is not only about frauds on the company’s website but also for raising awareness for every consumer who is looking at matchmaking apps to find a match. “In the past year, we have seen an average of 50 frauds reported in a month. Most of our members are vigilant enough to notice the fraudster, while a few have succumbed to the trap,” he told businessline.

While the number of frauds are happening across India, it is a bit higher in the northern region. The value of the fraud is observed from a few hundred rupees to several lakhs, he said.

When asked what action is taken on the fraudster, Bhatia said from Matrimony.com’s side, the company immediately suspends the account and blocks further registrations from the same person. The company will send an email to all the individuals whom the fraudster has contacted, alerting them about the situation. Additionally, the company will encourage users to file a complaint with the cybercrime department (FIR) and support them in the process of attaching any proof from the site, he said.

The company’s share price on the NBSE closed at ₹572.80, down by 1.17 per cent

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