The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned this week about extortionists targeting the LGBTQ+ community by abusing online dating apps like Grindr and Feeld.
According to the FTC, hackers pose as potential romantic partners on LGBTQ+ dating apps, sending personal photos to their targets and asking them to reciprocate.
If they do, victims are blackmailed into paying a ransom, under the threat of leaking sexual images they shared with the scammers to their family, friends or employers.
How to fend off scammers
The FTC is advising LGBTQ+ dating app users not to share inappropriate photos with people they just met online or aren't 100% sure who is on the other end of the conversation.
Those who actively use LGBTQ+ dating apps should take additional steps to defend themselves against such blackmail attempts by:
- Always check who you are talking to: reverse image search the person's profile picture to see if it is associated with another name or mismatched details – these are signs of fraud.
- Don't share personal information with people you just met on a dating app: that includes cell phone numbers, email , and social media profiles.
- Don't pay scammers to destroy photos or chats: there's no guarantee they will do it.
Online dating platforms have warned their users in the past to be aware that they may be the target of these extortion scams.
Grindr warns that “ social media and dating apps are a prime target for these hackers, as scammers seek to exploit people looking to make meaningful connections.”
Feeld asks its users to “always be careful when sharing personal information such as their real name, phone number, address or any other personal information” and to “never follow payment requests from other members [..] as these may be attempts at identity theft or financial fraud.”
In September, the FBI warned of a massive outbreak of online romance scams that have caused Americans to lose over $113 million since the beginning of 2021.
In 2021, the FBI's Cybercrime Complaint Center received more than 18,000 complaints related to sextortion, amounting to damages of more than $13.6 million.
Those targeted by extortionists should immediately stop interacting with the criminals, contact law enforcement, and file a complaint with the FBI IC3 at www.ic3.gov.
The FBI also provides tips you should follow to protect yourself from these types of attacks:
- Never send personal images of yourself to anyone, regardless of who they are or who they say they are.
- Don't open attachments from people you don't know. Links can secretly compromise electronic devices using malware to gain access to your personal data, photos and contacts, or control webcam and microphone without you knowing.
- Turn off electronic devices and webcams when not in use.
Information source: bleepingcomputer.com
