“Other members (in the network) said they had received the same photo and after publishing (about this trend) on my Tiktok, many people began to say that they also received similar photos.”
In addition to dragon fruits, crooks also generally send photos taken at airports or in cars.
“It seems that although the crooks can be different, they have a shared database of photos and videos,” said Elin.
Another advice, she said, is to pay attention to the pace of how a relationship is developing. If the person seems to rush and linger excessively on their sadness, it is a “red flag”.
“If you start to see these signs, do not brush it, leave (the conversation) immediately. Do not be afraid, sorrow can heal in two or three days,” she said.
“Sisterhood” in the era of dating applications
The community has become a support network, “a fraternity for single women sailing love and relationships, especially in the era of meeting applications,” said Elin.
Thanks to conversations with members, Elin has learned that they are often the elderly who are most vulnerable to application scams. They could be single mothers, previously married or single.
Many of them aspire to the company or face social pressures to settle, and the crooks are very aware of the emotional state of their potential victims, she said.
Women are often financially stable, which makes them even more attractive as victims.
“(Women) are more likely to be influenced by a sweet conversation,” said Elin, adding that crooks often used false photos or generated by AI to appear more convincing.
“Some even go so far as to send flowers, buy coffee or surprise them with breakfast in order to gain their confidence,” she said.
