As Navratri approaches, social media platforms are seeing a growing number of posts offering “rent a Garba partner” services, but the trend is also raising questions about online privacy, scams and personal safety. While some posts may be intended as informal arrangements for people looking for a companion at Garba events, users are being urged to exercise caution before responding to unfamiliar advertisements or sharing personal information online.
Garba and Dandiya events are popular among young people, families and groups of friends during Navratri season and attract huge crowds. With the festival becoming more visible on social media, a lot of people and also businesses have started to advertise the event-related services online.
One of the most popular types of advertising is “rent a Garba partner” - these posts are companions for people who may not have a partner or group to go to an event with.
But the informal nature of many of these posts also presents privacy and safety risks to users. Users responding to ads may be asked to share phone numbers, photographs, social media profiles, locations or other personal information. However, once this information is passed on to someone else, control over what it is used for is difficult for a person to achieve.
Another concern is that fraudulent advertisements can be made. Online scammers can use the festival trend to attract attention and entice users to make advance payments. One could be asked to pay a booking fee, registration charge or security deposit before meeting that Garba partner (someone that looks like he/she is real). If the person disappears after receiving the payment, the money could be difficult to recover.
Users should therefore be especially careful when a website advertisement is presented as urgent and demands payment before any basic information about the service is released. These payment requests for payment in unusual ways, personal bank accounts or unverified payment links should be considered carefully.
Privacy is another important consideration. Someone who wants to choose a Garba companion doesn’t need to disclose his/her home address, job or financial information or other sensitive information to anyone else. Even sharing a personal photograph or live location with a stranger can create unnecessary risks.
People who decide to meet someone they first met online should also take basic personal safety precautions. Meeting in a crowded public place, informing a trusted friend or family member about the plan and avoiding isolated locations may reduce the risk. It is also advisable to maintain control over one's own transportation and avoid relying entirely on a person met through an online advertisement.
Social media users should also look at the profile of the “rent a Garba partner” post before engaging. A recent account creation or less activity, erratic activity or information, stolen-looking pictures or pressure to move to another messaging platform immediately can be warning signs. None of these signs is a sign that an account is fake, but they can help to put more caution into play.
Festival-related trends are popular and also give rise to opportunities for impersonation. A scammer could take these pictures or details of a genuine profile and create a fake one just so they can appeal to people in search of companionship. Users may just assume a profile is real because of the photos, followers or positive comments, not just because the profile looks good.
If any suspect activity is found, you can report the account or post through the platform’s reporting mechanisms. If money has already been lost through an online scam, you should preserve transaction details, screenshots, phone numbers, profile information and other relevant evidence and report the incident to the appropriate cybercrime authorities.
At the same time, safety concerns do not mean every advertisement for “rent a Garba partner” is necessarily fraudulent. Some may be genuine event-related arrangements or social services. The key issue for users is to check the person or service independently and understand the terms before sharing information or making payments.
With Navratri coming up for Garba and Dandiya celebrations in India, it is very likely that social media will continue to be the most important platform for finding events, companions and activities. But the convenience of online connections also means that users must be alert.
The safest approach is to avoid sharing unnecessary personal information, verify profiles carefully, avoid suspicious payment requests and meet unfamiliar people only in safe public settings. A little caution can help users enjoy the festive season while reducing the chances of falling victim to privacy violations or online scams.
