The FBI says online crypto scammers are now using dating apps to manipulate victims into fake cryptocurrency schemes. As the pandemic hit the world last year, people began to suffer from loneliness, something researchers call a “behavioral epidemic.” The internet has also come to people’s rescue at this point and has become the new partner of people with the rise of dating apps at a dizzying pace. Last year, 1,400 dating sites opened in North America alone.
Hannah Hart of digital privacy expert ProPrivacy said:
“The digital world is our new dating space. Unfortunately, sexual blackmail scammers have also benefited from this evolution. Whether it’s catfishing, manipulating a victim by showing love, or taking advantage of a one-night stand culture, the scammer can quickly advance an online relationship.”
In the first half of 2021, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 1,800 online fraud complaints. These activities resulted in losses of more than $130 million in the United States alone. Online love scams involving cryptocurrencies have now become a new kind of trust scam. Crypto scammers on online dating apps
According to the agency, the perpetrators of these scams first spend time building a trustworthy romantic relationship with their victims. They then brag about the knowledge they have about cryptocurrencies, convincing their victims to participate in “highly rewarding investment plans.”
Soon after, the victim is redirected to a website that looks like their investment portfolio and offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In a short period of time, the prey makes a “profit” and is allowed to successfully withdraw it, but this happens only the first time. The scammer continues to promise its victims that they will make more profit if they ‘act fast’. But during the withdrawal of the second ‘profit’, the victim faces taxes, fees and withdrawal limits.
In addition, the scammers, who run a very in-depth plan and think about everything, even have a fake “customer service group.” Any signs of suspicion from the victim projected on customer service give the necessary signal for the disappearance of the scammer. As a result of this scam, the victim not only loses their investment, but also is left with a great shake of confidence and heartbreak. There is no limit to fraud!
Another tactic used for crypto fraud is sexual blackmail. For this, IC3 has received more than 16,000 complaints about it this year, and the losses have exceeded $ 8 million. By sharing their own sexually explicit content, the scammer encourages its victims to throw away photos of themselves as well. The identity of the perpetrator is often fake, as the photos used by criminals are stolen or fake, or because models are rented for a bait video. The perpetrator then threatens to disclose the victim’s sexually explicit content to his family and friends, demanding payment. According to information from IC3, many people using LGBTQ+ apps like Grindr and Feeld have fallen into the grip of this scam.
The FBI advises people not to send money or trade/invest based solely on the advice of someone they meet online. He advises them not to disclose any of their personal financial information to these people, and to be wary of the possibility that the people they meet will become scammers if they try to convince them of things quickly. The FBI also reports that the perpetrators, not the victims, are to blame for such incidents, and that it is crucial to contact the authorities. Rapid reporting of such scams will help put criminals behind bars quickly.
