COVID-19 has led many Americans to adopt a solitary lifestyle they might not be totally used to. Social isolation and staying indoors will not only protect you from viral exposure but can also protect others if you happen to be positive.
That said, the loneliness caused by social isolation hasn’t stopped people from seeking romance and companionship online. Internet dating is still going strong, even if people aren’t going out and meeting one another as much as before the pandemic. Tap or click here to see our complete guide to online dating.
But don’t think for a moment that hackers aren’t paying attention to this phenomenon. In an aggressive twist on classic sextortion scams, cybercriminals are now creating fake dating profiles to trick victims into sharing personal information. Then, when they least expect it, the trap is sprung and sextortion messages are sent. Here’s what you can do about it.
Forget bad pick-up lines, ransomware might be the next thing you get from Tinder
According to security researchers at the Internet Storm Center, cybercriminals are now looking for victims in places they haven’t tried before: Dating websites and apps. They’re creating fake profiles that they use to gain confidence and personal information from potential victims before using that data against them in sextortion scams.
These profiles usually take the shape of attractive young women looking for romance, which is one of the oldest internet fraud tricks in the book. But unlike typical fake profiles and scam accounts, these profiles will actively engage victims while prying for informatio ..
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