In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission warns of extortion attempts spotted on dating apps. The crooks seek to recover explicit photos to then put pressure on the victim.
A word of advice, don’t get carried away too quickly on dating apps. In the United States, US authorities warn of growing scams targeting the communityLGBTQ+. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), criminals start by seducing platform usersGrindr or Feeld and will send them explicit photos, then asking them to reciprocate.
Once the “nudes” are sent, the scammers threaten to disclose everything to their family or share the images on social networks if the victim does not pay them a ransom. The press release specifies that certain criminals put pressure by quoting the names of the people to whom they will send the photos in question.
The FTC advises users of LGBTQ+ dating apps not to share explicit photos with people they have just met online or if they are not 100% sure of the identity of the interlocutor.
12.85 million euros extorted
In 2021, FBI received more than 18,000 complaints related to what is called the sextortion, representing more than 13.6 million dollars (about 12.85 million euros) withdrawn from the victims. ” Most affected say initial contact with scammer was made using dating sites and apps “says the FBI.
On its site, Grindr lists and details the scams encountered on the platform. As with all dating apps, scammers are common and try to extort money in different ways. For example, they may offer you to download a fraudulent app or file.
If you are in doubt, we recommend that you verify the identity of the interlocutor by a reverse image search on the profile photo to see if it is associated with another name or details that do not match. These are potential signs of a scam. Trust is often the basis of a relationship, whether virtual or not.
