In an exceptionally well done documentary now playing on Netflix, The Tinder Swindler, perfectly illustrates the lengths a person will go to con someone out of their money using a dating site, this time Tinder, but which we've seen on almost all of the mainstream, and some not so mainstream, dating sites.
Some of the takeaways from this documentary and proven out by all of the social media/dating site investigations we've conducted, is how the con man, or woman, sets the hook. In this case, Simon Leviev, not his actual name, claimed to be the son of a wealthy, Israeli diamond dealer. In order to set the hook with his first victim, he met her at the Four Seasons, initially, then that very same day invited her to fly with him on a private jet to a business meeting. Little did she know that all of this was being paid for by another woman who knew nothing about this new woman. Leviev waited eight months, which is not unusual when a big con is in play, to actually ask the young woman for money, ostensibly a loan. Cecile Fjellhoy, the first victim, thought she was in love, Leviev had played The Emotional Con exquisitely, and gladly gave him the money. When it was all said and done, she was out over $200,000. Leviev operated what was a ponzi scheme, a scheme were the con man takes money from one person and provides it to another. We usually see ponzi schemes involving investments, but he used it to convince his next mark that they were meant for each other and that he was a rich, billionaire businessman.
We won't provide any more details in case you end up watching this, but it is truly a cautionary tale and happens more than anyone ever thinks.
Concerned that the person you met on an online dating site or other social media may be pulling, or trying to pull, a con on you? Give us a call. We'll find out in no time if they are legitimate or not.
Some of the takeaways from this documentary and proven out by all of the social media/dating site investigations we've conducted, is how the con man, or woman, sets the hook. In this case, Simon Leviev, not his actual name, claimed to be the son of a wealthy, Israeli diamond dealer. In order to set the hook with his first victim, he met her at the Four Seasons, initially, then that very same day invited her to fly with him on a private jet to a business meeting. Little did she know that all of this was being paid for by another woman who knew nothing about this new woman. Leviev waited eight months, which is not unusual when a big con is in play, to actually ask the young woman for money, ostensibly a loan. Cecile Fjellhoy, the first victim, thought she was in love, Leviev had played The Emotional Con exquisitely, and gladly gave him the money. When it was all said and done, she was out over $200,000. Leviev operated what was a ponzi scheme, a scheme were the con man takes money from one person and provides it to another. We usually see ponzi schemes involving investments, but he used it to convince his next mark that they were meant for each other and that he was a rich, billionaire businessman.
We won't provide any more details in case you end up watching this, but it is truly a cautionary tale and happens more than anyone ever thinks.
Concerned that the person you met on an online dating site or other social media may be pulling, or trying to pull, a con on you? Give us a call. We'll find out in no time if they are legitimate or not.
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