How to Avoid Your Very Own “Tinder Swindler”
Netflix has been on the rise with crime documentaries, following real-life events that have occurred in a storytelling fashion, making them addicting to watch. One of the newest documentaries, “The Tinder Swindler,” depicts the same story from three different women’s perspectives of meeting the man they thought they knew as Simon Leviev - a friend, boyfriend, and confidant. In reality, Simon Leviev was Shimon Hayut, a convicted man from Israel who swindled these three women out of a quarter-million dollars using scare tactics, pressure, and fear. This real-life story could happen to anyone who puts trust into whoever they are talking to. It is incredibly important to notice red flags, as well as protect yourself on these dating platforms. We at The Edge have come up with a few ways to avoid your own Tinder Swindler.
Sketchy Profiles and Half-Face Pics
When first starting to date online, you need to be able to tell who is sketchy and what you should avoid based on photos and lack of information. If their photos only include explicit pictures, pictures with no face, group photos that avoid close-ups, and a bio strikes you as weird, you should trust your gut.
When you match with someone and begin messaging over text or Snapchat, you need to be careful as well. On Snapchat, if your match does not send you a full face even when asking (trust us it happens), unmatch and unadd. If you are text messaging them and upon asking questions, you receive little to no information, stop texting and immediately block.
Do Some “Light” Stalking
While this may sound creepy, we at The Edge are certain that you have done this. The way to figure someone out and feel their vibes in today’s day and age is to check social media accounts, specifically Instagram. If they seem to have no social media platforms, that is not necessarily an immediate red flag, unless there are strange reasonings behind it. When checking your future partner’s social media and get a gut feeling that they are not a good person, or see they clearly have a significant other (surprising but occurs often)... avoid it.
Find a Safe Space
If you decide that you are ready to meet someone and go on that date, there are a few things you NEED to do. Make sure you choose a place for your date that you would consider a safe space. You want to make sure that you are comfortable with the location; we at The Edge don’t recommend a first date at someone’s apartment. Whether it be a common restaurant, a familiar town or even a coffee shop near your friends, make sure that you prioritize yourself.
Another thing you MUST do is make sure you have your location shared with friends and notify them when and when you are going on a date. You can even share your Uber location so they know when you get to your destination. This might be one of the most important ways to prevent your own Tinder Swindler situation.
We get it; online dating can be scary in lots of ways, but it is a great way for you to put yourself out there! Have some fun, download that app, but most importantly, stay safe.