Skype is a very popular communication tool, allowing users to exchange messages, voice, and video calls for free. However, it’s also a convenient platform for fraudsters who seek victims and implement scams, particularly romance scams. Romance scams on Skype are not limited to a single method, but below, you will find three of the most common types.
Betrayal of Trust and Mercenary Interest:
Every day, scammers send hundreds of chat invitations to Skype users. The strategy depends on the victim’s gender. If it’s a man, he is contacted by an attractive woman who wants to chat with him. Such invitations typically receive a response of at least 20%. Most scammers undergo initial psychological training, learning how to identify a victim’s vulnerabilities, evoke sympathy, and charm them.
How to Detect Romance Scams on Skype:
- A beautiful woman befriends the man on Skype, gaining his trust through exchanges and video chats. At the woman’s initiative, a romantic story begins, followed by gifts and financial assistance from the man. This story continues until the woman finds another wallet, as profit is the only thing she’s interested in. To meet genuine women without the risk of being scammed, prefer reputable platforms like UkReine.Com.
Visual Recordings Instead of a Real Person:
In this scenario, the person communicating with the man is not real; the photos are fake, and the videos are pre-recorded. While in the first case, it was a real woman in contact with the man, here, he communicates with someone he will never see.
Compelling Testimony:
- “I met a girl online. In addition to letters, we talked on Skype every day. She told the story of her life, discussed her progress and setbacks, jokingly said I was the man of her dreams. When we chatted on Skype, initially, I didn’t notice anything suspicious. More than that, seeing her reassured me that she was real and that I liked her. We became closer; I paid for a few things online to please her, and she suggested we meet someday. I wanted to but had to finish a work project first. However, I committed to covering all expenses related to her future trip.”
“During one of the Skype conversations, I noticed she was typing, I could see her and hear her, but I didn’t see her touch the keyboard. Or, on the contrary, she was typing, but she wasn’t actually writing. I focused all my attention and realized that the same images were repeating. Then I realized she was showing me a video… I didn’t understand how this was possible on Skype. Then, searching on the Internet, I found articles saying it was possible using special programs. When I saw an image with the same gestures, with the same facial expression, I was outraged and told my interlocutor. And you know what happened next? Her camera suddenly malfunctioned!”
In the above story, the man was able to guess in time that it was indeed a plot of romance scams on Skype and avoided financial losses. However, sometimes scammers set traps that are not always easy to escape unharmed.
Video Blackmail:
- Initially, the man gets acquainted with an attractive girl, often on free dating sites where people seek not only serious relationships but also short-term love affairs. After a brief conversation, the “beauty” suggests continuing their communication elsewhere, and correspondence quickly turns into a video call on Skype. However, instead of the interlocutor’s face, the man receives a sexually explicit video and is invited to participate. Alternatively, she begins discussing her sexual fantasies with him and encourages him to be equally “frank.”
The man, who was looking for something exciting on the site, is satisfied with this turn of events and participates in virtual pleasure. Meanwhile, the girl records the video, which will become a tool for blackmail.
Victims of such blackmail are often married men or those for whom such “fame” could cause serious damage to their image. Fraudsters threaten to expose intimate recordings on the internet and make the victim a star on adult sites, send them to friends and acquaintances, etc. The girl may also claim to be a minor and threaten with legal consequences. In most cases, the result is the same: the victim panics and pays.
For more information on video blackmail, click [here](link to an article or relevant source).
Money Flowing Freely:
The amounts involved can vary widely, and the transfer is made to an anonymous wallet. The profiles of scammers are all fake, whether on dating sites, social networks, or instant messaging accounts, making it challenging to detect the blackmailer.
Therefore, we reiterate: Be vigilant! Even if you are convinced that such cases will never concern you, as the saying goes, forewarned is forearmed.
