Jet Encila
Got bitten by the love bug? Crypto scammers on Tinder surely know how to pull the right emotional strings to crack open your crypto wallets.
They have been using emotional manipulation and sweet nothings to target singles in the famous dating app and they’re getting good at it day by day.
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Crypto Scammers Flood Tinder
Crypto scammers are nothing new with social media around. But, new scams mushroom every millisecond. This time around, scammers and fraudsters are trying to make you head-over-heels in love over Tinder.
Social media is a breeding haven for hackers and they are staging love baits on Tinder. Basically, they would convince their victims to download these fake phishing crypto apps that will allow them to get into their wallets.
They are catfishing love-struck individuals into entrusting them with their crypto wallets.
Even if you're in love, you don't have to give up everything you've worked hard for in order to pursue it. (Image credit: The Telegraph)
Bulgaria-based cyber forensics call these new-age romance crypto scammers as “CryptoRoms.”
The fraudsters manipulate their victims with love and seduction into transferring their tokens to strange third-party-applications and then ditching them afterwards.
Below are the different ways Tinder crypto fraudsters operate:
- Tinder Verification. The scammer would convince their victims to verify their profiles on a particular app. Scammers then would send this link that appears to be Tinder verification. However, once you click on the link, you will be forwarded to a third-party website to enter personal information like your name, email, birth date, and credit card number. Once you have provided this vital information, they now turn to bypass your crypto wallets.
- Catfishing. A lot of fraudsters would create fake Tinder profiles as women (even though they’re actually men). They would entice and attract their victims by establishing emotional connections and would even offer to give nude photos or videos in exchange for their crypto wallets or information.
BTC total market cap at $722.71 billion on the daily chart | Source: TradingView.com
Scammed For Love
Cyber Forensics reported a recent scam on Tinder involving Mike from the United States who was swindled with a crypto amount totaling $277,000.
Jenny, the fraudster, is from Malaysia and the victim thought that it was a serious romantic connection and that she really loved him. Turns out, Jenny was only after his crypto funds.
Timothy Benson from Bitcoin Recovery Company says that it’s obvious how Tinder crypto scammers use emotional manipulative tactics to gain access into their victim’s personal and financial information like private keys to their crypto wallets. With the information on their hands, it’s easier to break into their victims’ digital wallets.
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The scammers coax their victims with love and seduction into moving their tokens to weird third-party-applications and then leaving them afterwards. (Image credit: BBC)
How To Avoid Tinder Scams
- Never share private or financial information even if you are “in love.”
- Research on profiles before communicating or trusting them with any information.
- Stop the conversation once the person starts asking for any private or financial information.
- Record scammer information on emails, phone numbers, or photos.
- Report the scammer immediately to Tinder and police authorities.
Love has risks but you don’t have to lose all your money or crypto funds in the name of love.
There are agencies that specialize with stolen crypto but there are no guarantees that you can get all of them back.
So, the best course of action is to be proactive and never give anyone sensitive information because you have only met this person online.
Featured image from Similkameen Spotlight, chart from TradingView.com
