A new wave of scam activity on dating apps has been flagged by Infosecurity, part of Softline, and picked up by socialbites.ca. In a single day, 17 fraudulent websites representing cafes, restaurants, hookah lounges, theaters, museums, and other date-night venues emerged on Runet, signaling a coordinated effort to lure users with convincingly local spots.
For a change, the targets extend beyond casual users. Criminals have begun aiming at IT professionals, mirroring a broader phishing trend that pairs dating-profile deception with fake tickets and offers that promise romance with “IT experts.” The scam operators are not restricted to coders or security engineers; they broaden the pool to include IT designers and system administrators, widening the potential victim base.
Experts have monitored this tactic for weeks. The scam often appears on mainstream dating sites and preys on affluent individuals and IT workers who are starting new roles or ventures. The criminals chase higher salaries and perceived access to money, and they exploit government incentives for IT professionals, such as tax relief, favorable mortgage terms, and grants for promising tech developments. (Infosecurity via socialbites.ca)
The mechanics are straightforward: an attacker, posing as a dating-site user, invites the target to a cinema or theater outing and shares a link to buy tickets. If the target enters card details on the linked page, the attacker disappears. In another variant, the attacker claims to live in a different city and cannot cover travel costs, and vanishes after money is transferred for travel. A content analyst from a major security firm noted that the threat routinely vanishes after card data is captured. (Infosecurity via socialbites.ca)
Infosecurity, a Softline company, also notes that losses can vary widely. In the worst cases, access to the victim’s personal banking can be compromised. A typical red flag is a request for payment data through a sequence of steps that ends with a confirmation screen that resembles entering a personal account rather than a legitimate payment authorization. The pattern has become alarmingly common, according to the analyst quoted. (Infosecurity via socialbites.ca)
One analyst described a common ploy: scammers use a two-photo profile, often featuring model-like individuals, to push the conversation toward moving to a separate channel, usually a messenger app. Dating platforms actively monitor and block suspicious activity, so the attackers try to speed up the shift toward an in-person meeting rather than lengthy background discussions. (Infosecurity via socialbites.ca)
Industry experts emphasize that the core lure is emotional manipulation and trust exploitation. When a target is enticed by the idea of meeting someone attractive, standard cybersecurity vigilance can fall away. If the other person resembles a person of interest, the chance of missing warning signs grows. This is at the heart of the social engineering risk described by the team at Informzaschita. (Informzaschita via socialbites.ca)
A universal truth from security professionals remains: everyone can be vulnerable, regardless of training. Criminals tailor their approaches to different audiences by tapping into emotional triggers, sometimes triggering fear of loss or the lure of a quick reward, and sometimes appealing to social or romantic desires. In the IT sector, the stakes are higher because attackers may target professionals who hold keys to sensitive systems. (Informzaschita via socialbites.ca)
Even seasoned security researchers admit that discipline can slip in the heat of a potential date. The guidance stays consistent: verify any link before entering payment details, watch for subtle URL variations, and remember that legitimate ticket costs should never fall below the stated price. The rule to never transfer money in advance remains strong, as reliable confirmations are rarely guaranteed. (Informzaschita via socialbites.ca)