In light of complaints from readers about certain nightclubs colluding with young women to fleece male dating app users, mid-day went undercover to expose how these establishments are allegedly offering the women free accommodation and coverage of daily expenses in return for setting up dates, getting customers to their assigned pub and racking up hefty bills in just half an hour. Within a day of the reporters creating dating profiles, matches began pouring in, with several women asking them out almost instantly. Certain nightclubs have allegedly been using women to bleed male dating app users dry financially. According to sources, these clubs hire public relations (PR) personnel to attract business, but owing to tough competition, the latter are adopting this modus operandi.

The reporter with Shivani aka Anshika, who left the restaurant after the Rs 26,570 bill arrived, at Atria Mall in Worli on August 9