Last Tuesday (12), São Paulo Police ambush two criminals responsible for integrating a fraud cell into their dating apps. One suspect was killed and another shot after pointing a gun at authorities.
Scams on Tinder are becoming more and more frequent and have been increasing exponentially since last year. The classic coup modus operandi was used in this case: the gang faked a female profile and lured the victim to a deserted place to carry out the kidnapping.
After a man set up a conversation with a woman chatting through the app, he found the gesture suspicious and called the police. The agents hid in two cars in Parada de Taipas, waiting for the criminals to approach.
As the police approached, two men emerged from a wooded area with guns pointed at vehicles. The agents reacted and shot them both. One was rescued at the scene but could not resist, and the other was taken to Vila Nova Cachoeirinha Hospital.
Fraud has increased in recent years.
If the scammers’ tactic was successful, the victim would be taken to the community or in captivity to make a transfer via PIX. There are already cases where criminals detained people for about two days.
Data from the São Paulo Department of Public Safety show that kidnapping and deprivation of liberty crime rates rose 64% between 2020 and 2021. So far, 169 criminals have been caught red-handed by the Tinder Coup.
The best way for authorities to prevent this kind of scam is, holding meetings in public places where there is a lot of movement. More isolated and desolate places are an indication that you may be deceived.
Source: Tec Mundo
