A Northern Irish YouTuber has managed to secretly film how the dating fraud system works. Jim Browning worked together with a member of a gang operating from Dubai. To win the hearts of unsuspecting love preys, the leaders recruit real models. “Nice to see you. I will send you a message on WhatsApp. Is that okay?”, asks a certain ‘Annelle’ via FaceTime.
The objectionable practice – ‘pig butchering’ in the jargon – combines the romantic aspect with investment fraud. The outcome is invariably the same: the victim is left with a broken heart and a plundered account after a few months.
But how does the scam work? The starting point is to build an emotional bond of trust, so that over time the step towards ‘investment advice’ can be taken subtly.
Rich lifestyle
The report shows several men sitting in an office behind a computer. “They present themselves as a glamorous model with a wealthy lifestyle. In reality, they hope to steal as much money as possible from people around the world,” Browning said.
Victims’ hearts are broken through these computers. © RV
Various dating apps can be found on the PCs, which are lined up in rows. These should serve to make the first contact. Thanks to the VPN system, the innocent souls believe that their great love lives in the same country.
Pre-developed scenario
Every day starts the same way. The scammers look for new victims and use a list to maintain an overview. This includes the name of the model they want to strike with. The number of ‘passionate conversations’ and ‘potential customers’ is also carefully monitored.
© RV
Striking: the cheaters stick to a pre-developed scenario and use the same phrases every time. For example, on the first day they should be asked about the health of the parents and on day two what their favorite flower is. “It’s really nothing more than some cutting and pasting,” the report says.
The questions to be asked on the first day. © RV
Victims will always be asked to continue the conversation on WhatsApp or Telegram. After all, most dating apps have built-in security mechanisms to detect suspicious behavior.
The questions to be asked on the second day. © RV
Yomight
After a few weeks, the question arises to invest in cryptocurrency via the Yomight app. The ‘model’ promises them big profits, otherwise how could she live so luxuriously? In reality, however, that tool is completely controlled by the scammers. In the meantime, victims are bombarded with false profit figures and complicated theories, which only makes them more inclined to invest more.
Still not convinced? Then models like Annelle will give the final push. They personally contact the victims via FaceTime and thus prove that they are ‘real’.
Annelle at work. © YouTube
“Passports taken away”
“It struck me how widespread this scam is,” Browning said. “This group mainly targeted residents of South America. Bolivia and Peru were discussed, but also more obscure countries such as Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. They clearly don’t care how poor the population is.”
But who are these heartbreakers at the keyboards? Mainly migrants from North Africa and southeast Asia, it appears. Simple foot soldiers in the service of the big bosses from China. “Their passports were taken away and they have to adhere to strict rules. So in essence they actually live like slaves,” says the YouTuber.
Basic salary of 375 euros
The secret companion Browning worked with was one of them. “At first I thought I had gotten a decent job. When it turned out that I had been deceived, I decided to secretly make images of the deception,” he said.
The gang’s headquarters are located in this building, a few kilometers from central Dubai. © YouTube
Browning estimates that around a thousand people are involved in the entire scam. The employees receive a basic salary of 1,500 dirhams (375 euros). The amount increases for each new ‘customer’ who is convinced to invest. Anyone who can deceive twenty new victims every month will receive 6,500 dirhams (1,630 euros).
“I’m leaving here”
A model receives 8,000 dirhams (2,000 euros) per month, but Annelle is not satisfied with that. “I’m leaving here, that amount is too low. But I’m not an escort either. I have family, I don’t want them to see me on a porn site,” she says, without realizing that the conversation was being recorded.
“In cases like this, you only know that you have been scammed when you try to withdraw a large amount from your crypto account,” says Browning. And that is why he gives one more piece of golden advice. “If something sounds too good to be true, it usually isn’t true.”
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2024-02-29 16:09:39
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