Could your prospective lover be a cheater?

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22 Mayıs 2024
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Dating apps have revolutionized the way people connect with someone and find love. Now, instead of meeting in social environments, people can match and start meeting in a very short time through applications. Not only are these apps an easy way for users to share their dating profile with others, but they also present a number of opportunities for scammers and hackers to exploit many people. Digital security company ESET drew attention to the traps of fraudsters before Valentine’s Day

A report prepared by the United States Federal Trade Commission revealed that romance scams cost approximately 70 thousand people $1.3 billion in 2022. But this still doesn’t reflect the full picture, as many victims of dating scams are too embarrassed to speak up. As online dating continues to grow in popularity, predicted to have more than 450 million users by 2028, the risk of being the target of scams and attacks also increases. For those trying to navigate the world of online dating, questionable connections and uncertainty about your partner’s true identity should be at the top of your list of red flags.

Threats hidden in dating apps can be listed as follows:

Creating fake identities

One of the most common tactics used by scammers on dating apps is to create fake profiles to trick their partners into thinking they are someone else. These scammers often use stolen or stock photos and fabricated personal information to lure unsuspecting victims. There are many websites that use AI rendering to create (you guessed it, non-existent) photos of themselves that scammers can use to create a realistic persona online.

Phishing attacks and malware distribution

As an online platform, dating apps offer an easy gateway for phishing attacks and malware distribution. Criminals can create profiles and trick hopeful singles into clicking by sending seemingly innocent messages and malicious links or attachments. They can use bots to do this on a mass scale, and once clicked, these links lead to malware being installed on the victim’s device. Once the malware is installed, any personal information or data stored on the device is compromised, greatly increasing the risk of identity theft and credit card fraud.

Data collection for blackmail

Online dating platforms store large amounts of personal information, making them attractive targets for hackers. Scammers may use tactics such as data mining to extract these sensitive details from people’s profiles. We have also heard of cases where such information was publicly available.

Location-based threats

Many dating apps use location-based services. While this feature makes it easier for people to find potential mates nearby, it also opens the door to threats. Hackers can track and target individuals using location data, leading to real-world security concerns.