How many of you have binge-watched the Netflix series, ‘Tinder Swindler?’

Wasn’t it extremely eye-opening? It also provided us with useful insights into the modus operandi of such romance scammers. Many such conmen who flaunt a swanky lifestyle manage to manipulate potential women into giving them money.
Shimon Heyada Hayut also known as Simon Leviev is living proof of men who create false narratives to trap soft targets and then live off them. Leviev owes millions to the women he has “borrowed” money from and is currently on trial.
Such men impersonate some mogul or claim the fictitious identity of someone who leads a lavish lifestyle. They then target specific women who are not only well off but also prone to being manipulated through a sense of sophistication. These days, anyone can create a fake profile on dating apps. Such apps do not verify the backgrounds of individuals who sign up for them. These dating platforms are primarily user-driven and thrive on engagement. Although dating apps are the chief perpetrators of such scams, social media platforms are also responsible for being catfished or duped. As per a survey conducted by Times of India, more than one third of the people who had lost money had begun interactions over Facebook or Instagram. This just goes on to prove that these romance scammers have infiltrated every social media platform.

How do these Tinder Swindlers con people?

These swindlers have many tricks up their sleeves and manage to convince people of the opposite gender to transfer a certain amount of cash. They use make-belief excuses such as a health crisis or an imminent financial problem and are very persuasive in their tone. The most vulnerable victims fall in the age bracket of 18 to 29. The crimes committed against them have increased from 10 per cent to 20 per cent in just two years. It has also been found that 34 per cent of Indians do not use these dating apps after the horror stories that have taken place. This survey was conducted by the popular dating app, Bumble in 2021.

How can I safeguard myself against a Tinder Swindler?

A good starting point is getting the identity and address of the partner verified. This is a non-intrusive and quick process and atleast ascertains that the person is who they claim to be and belong to the city they have mentioned on their profile.
Get a Social Media background check done on the candidate. Make sure that you outsource the work to a trustworthy background verification firm that specializes in such screenings. Such checks analyze the social media profiles of people and generate results about who they are as a person as well as their personality traits.
Criminal Background check is another facet that cannot be overlooked. The criminal antecedents of the person in question such as those related to assault, theft, violence, homicide, and the like, can be ascertained through this check.
Court Record Checks are also crucial. Sometimes, the criminal past of a person may go unreported for many underlying reasons. Court record checks involve the Supreme and High court as well as local courts to dig deeper into the investigations. This helps uncover findings that may prove useful.
CIBIL score or Credit Score can also be looked into. An individual with a low or negative CIBIL score is a red flag.
A simple thing that can be implemented on a personal level is not divulging too much about oneself. Giving away confidential information to a stranger may not be the best idea and is discouraged.
Avoid making transactions of any kind. Monetary transactions are unnecessary and enough to put you on your guard.
Identity Verification can also be resorted to. Here, IDs such as one’s PAN, AADHAR, Voter’s ID are screened. This is the most common form of background check and is often underrated.
Trust is a virtue that is much abused these days. A sense of mistrust has crept into all aspects of our lives on account of the heinous crimes that take place on a consistent basis. In an era where people are easy targets, one should only trust those one is completely certain about. We’ve been blessed with technology to make our lives easier. Authentic fraud mitigation firms are working day and night to eradicate the evil that looms at large.
One must always seek the aid of a credible background check firm before their interaction with people they wish to forge bonds with. ISO 27001 certified companies are well aware of the methods that need to be employed before conducting a screening on someone.
Millow is India’s trusted background verification company. We leverage our proprietary technology & stringent processes to provide you with BGV reports in the shortest amount of time. If you need to get your employees, vendors, business partners, loan applicants, or even yourself/profile verified do contact us on:
Email: info@millow.io
Contact: 011 41219183