Dating apps have undoubtedly changed the way romantic relationships are forged. Like most technological tools, dating apps have their shortcomings one of them being that they tend to attract scammers who take advantage of people’s search for romantic or sexual connections to dupe them. There’s one such practice that many users of these apps, especially women are warning about.
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Romance fraud
The modus operandi of these scammers seems to be that they would invest time and energy into forming a connection with their unsuspecting victims. As the conversation proceeds and trust is built, they request nude photos from their target, after which they’ll blackmail them.
One dating app user who spoke about a similar experience on Reddit, spoke to Metro News. According to *Kiera, the man she had been chatting with for at least month, started demanding her nude videos and pictures incessantly, causing her to suspect he may have had ulterior motives.
He had been so nice before but now he was saying that he wouldn’t meet me unless I “showed him what was in it for him” and sent nudes. He wanted them right away.’ ‘I was so upset and blocked him and just went home. I couldn’t understand how someone could have such a horrible change in personality and how he could just treat me like that.’
Protect yourself
Similar stories like Kiera’s abound on the internet with some people reporting that the scammers would secretly film any sexual interaction they may have online, threatening to share the content on revenge porn sites.
Although many people are becoming more aware of these acts, dating experts who spoke to Metro News say, there needs to be more awareness about romance fraud. Dating and relationship coach Christiana Maxion advises against meeting up with people or sharing intimate photos or videos with them without first verifying their identity.
Instagram is a great way to see if this person has mutual connections to you, when was the last time they posted, who is commenting, are there any likes, when was the profile created and more. You can use this as a one-step verification of this person’s identity.
She also suggests having a video chat with them before meeting in person and not putting off in-person encounters until later.
Sources used:
Metro.co.uk: This dating app scam is on the rise – here’s how to stay safe
Aura.com: The Unexpected Dangers of Online Dating [11 Scams To Know]
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice: What to Know About Romance Scams
