A disturbing trend of "scam dates" has emerged, involving expensive restaurant bills and deceptive practices, with The Godfather Club in Mumbai's Andheri West now under investigation. This follows a viral social media post by activist Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj, which has highlighted a scheme that has financially exploited and embarrassed several men.

According to Bhardwaj's post, the scam typically starts on dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and OKCupid. Men who match with women are quickly persuaded to meet at upscale venues like The Godfather Club. Once there, the women order high-priced items like premium liquor or hookah, which are not listed on the menu. Unaware of the trap, the men are left with hefty bills ranging from ₹23,000 to ₹61,000 when the women abruptly leave, often citing emergencies.

The men are then coerced into paying the exorbitant bills under duress from the club's staff or bouncers, facing threats if they refuse. Photos of the receipts shared by Bhardwaj provide evidence of the financial exploitation involved.

The Godfather Club is part of a broader network of nightclubs in Mumbai accused of similar practices. These venues reportedly use PR personnel to recruit women who target men on dating apps, leading them into costly and distressing situations.

Such scams have also been reported in other major cities like Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. In one notable incident in June, a civil service aspirant was tricked into paying ₹1.2 lakh at a popular spot in Delhi.