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The warning comes as Gujarat prepares for Navratri, when large-scale garba celebrations draw crowds across the state and social media activity around events and meet-ups increases.
Police warned that users could potentially lose money if they make payments to unverified accounts.
Ahead of Navratri, many social media users in Ahmedabad have come across posts offering “Rent A Garba Partner” services for fixed fees, prompting the city Cyber Crime Cell to caution people against sending money to unknown profiles.
The viral advertisements offer garba partners under three packages. The Silver plan reportedly costs Rs 1,000 for two hours, Gold is priced at Rs 1,500 for four hours, while the Platinum package costs Rs 2,000 for an entire night. Some posts also promise matching outfits, garba lessons and selfies.
Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Cell ACP Hardik Mandakia said police have been tracking such posts for the past five to six days. He said the trend initially appeared through a small number of social media accounts, where users themselves had shared the content to increase its reach.
‘Rent A Garba Partner’ Posts Go Viral
Police later noticed similar “Rent A Garba Partner” posts appearing across multiple accounts, including content that appeared to have been generated using artificial intelligence, Mandakia said.
The Cyber Crime Cell has urged people to exercise caution and avoid transferring money to strangers based solely on such social media advertisements. Police warned that users could potentially lose money if they make payments to unverified accounts.
The warning comes as Gujarat prepares for Navratri, when large-scale garba celebrations draw crowds across the state and social media activity around events and meet-ups increases.
Cyber officials have also advised anyone who has already transferred money after responding to one of these posts to approach the cyber police for assistance.
Police urged netizens to verify the identity and authenticity of anyone offering such services before sharing personal information or making payments online.
Quick Answers
Ask News18The viral advertisements offer three pricing tiers: a Silver plan costing Rs 1,000 for two hours, a Gold plan priced at Rs 1,500 for four hours, and a Platinum package costing Rs 2,000 for an entire night. These packages also promise matching outfits, basic lessons, selfies, and reels.
Ask News18About the Author
Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com’s general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish…Read More
September 20, 2026, 10:31 PM IST
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