Beware of CATFISHING via Social Media Websites...

Sheriff warns Citizens to Beware of Social Media Dating Sites
August 25, 2015

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...The Richland County Sheriff's Department has put out a warning after two women were assaulted and robbed while trying to meet up with a love interest from a dating app.

Deputies said the first incident took place in May where a woman met a man who called himself "Andrew" on Tinder.

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Read more: http://www.wltx.com/story/news/2015...urge-caution-when-using-dating-apps/32369749/

[video at linked above]

Snipped from the PR linked below...

...Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott is warning citizens to be careful when using social media dating sites such at Tinder, POF (Plenty of Fish), and others for safety reasons.

Sheriff Leon Lott stated that the Richland County Sheriff’s Department is investigating several incidents of “catfishing” associated with strong armed robberies. The Sheriff stated that catfishing is when internet predators fabricate themselves online using fake identities, for the purpose of tricking people into relationships, financial scams, robberies, and sexual assaults.

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Press Release: http://www.rcsd.net/media/aug15/08-25-dating_sites.html

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...The Sheriff offers the following tips:

· Do not give out your personal information

· Do not meet anyone outside of a public location, make sure that there are plenty of people around

· Take your time when you talk about yourself, do not give out your life-story the first time you chat – plenty of time for that later

· Tell a friend, better yet if and when you feel comfortable enough to meet, take a friend with you

· Never leave your drink unattended

· Keep your purse, wallet, phone, and personal items with you

· Watch the photo’s that you post that may have revealing information in them; location, school, neighborhood

· Check your privacy settings on ALL of your social media platforms

· Consider having a private account for family and friends

· Be careful when accessing your account from a public or shared computer

· Be wary of opening up email attachments from someone you have only just met

· Ensure that you keep your internet security software up to date

· Money requests are a red light

· Report unacceptable or suspicious behavior

Sheriff Leon Lott is asking that if you or someone you know may have been a victim to please come forward. It doesn’t mater how long ago it may have happened, what’s important is that we get you the proper care and guidance. Remember if you have any information about this crime or the identity of any suspects we urge you to call, email or text your anonymous tip to: Crimestoppers at 1-888-crimesc, or text “TIPSC plus your message” to CRIMES (274637). Your tip could earn you a cash reward of up to $1000.

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Philadelphia police issue safety warnings to Grindr and Tinder users
April 25, 2014

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...Over the past few months, there’s been an awful lot of concern about security issues related to GPS-based dating apps like Tinder and Grindr, especially after it was reported that a Tinder bug had inadvertently revealed users’ exact locations for months. Now, police in Philadelphia are issuing a safety warning to users of GPS dating apps, after multiple victims have been robbed and assaulted by people they met online.

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Read more: http://www.dailydot.com/crime/gps-grindr-tinder-crime/

:scared:

If a connection is made via Tinder (on cell) would there be a record of it somewhere other than just (physically) on the cell phone?

:thinking:

Would the phone bill / records show it?

tarabull said:

If a connection is made via Tinder (on cell) would there be a record of it somewhere other than just (physically) on the cell phone?

:thinking:

Would the phone bill / records show it?

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Accidentally clicked your username/profile instead of the post icon (using phone) sorry!

Here's a link discussing dating apps & data storage/user info:

http:// https://www.magnetforensics.com/mobile-forensics/investigating-mobile-dating-applications-with-ief

I'm not a tech guru by any means but basically, applications like Tinder maintain a type of database. User account info such as birth date, user ID, preferences, activity logs, matches etc, everything is logged. There would also probably be some info to indicate which type of device the user has the app installed on (Android via Samsung or Google for example).

So there would be a record of the users matches via the app itself. I'm not sure about finding anything via phone records. LE could probably search through each victims dating account & find a match that they all had in common. This could even be a duo of perpetrators. Say the 2 matches meet up & one has a "friend" waiting in the shadows, ready to make it look like a robbery.

This sounds exactly like that t.v show, MTVs' EyeCandy.

Along this same vein, I'd like to mention a few things. The "PUA movement" (pick up artists aka con artists/psychopathic narcissists) exploit dating sites & can be connected to dating scammers. Also, cyberstalkers employ similar tatics & will use software such as RAT (Remote Access Trojan) & keylogging programs to track their victims. This software can be used for identity theft, blackmail, to take over the users device & hijack their services. Some cyberstalkers (also known as love rat hackers) will meet multiple women online & send them emails/photos etc with malware embedded on it. Once the file is opened, it can take over the device & turn it into a "slave". These people will create a whole network of hacked/hijacked devices & use them for the purpose of hacking. They treat these "virtual slave networks" like commoditities & will steal victims photos/personal info for the purpose of trading. There have been several stories of victims' laptop cameras being turned on & recording them for the purpose of either black mail or to be sold on "webcam girl"/voyeurism sites.

It sounds ridiculous but I know someone who had this happen to them. They were cyberstalked/hacked by someone they met in a forum.

I might want to date you. So I agree to go to an apartment to meet a complete stranger. That sounds like a escort call-out service for profit. Not a date.

^Tbh, dating apps like Tinder are mostly about hooking up & having flings. I don't think there is much romance or dating going on. Of course meeting at anyones' apartment IS totally stupid even for a one night stand but I would also think that an escort service would have some kind of "protection" (like a pimp or body guard of sorts).

http://torontopolice.on.ca/newsreleases/33628
December 24 2015

The Toronto Police Service would like to make the public aware, once again, of an ongoing scam targeting male users of social networks.

It is reported that:

- male users on social networks that have messaging features, such as WeCHAT, Facebook, Skype, and Kijiji, to name a few, receive a request to privately message them

- the person requesting either is, or purports to be, female, and suggests moving from private messages to video chat

- the video chats become sexual in nature

- the requester then records the video chats of the male in compromising acts

- the requester then uploads the video to YouTube and sends the male a link

- the male is then extorted to send money or gift-cards under the threat of releasing the video publicly

It is believed the requesters are not from Canada.

People should be aware of the potential of internet scams, and should never disclose anything on non-secure/non-trusted sites.

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