Queer men in Ireland have reported becoming victims of a new scam perpetrated using Grindr.
Several Irish men have reported someone initiating a new chat on the dating app, which asks for an “LGID.” The scam artist then shows a picture of a battered face, explaining he got attacked and wants to protect himself. He then explains that an LGID is a special kind of registry for LGBTQ people to find out if someone has a history of physical assault, and sends a link to his victim.
Related: Ireland’s first openly gay strongman attends his first Pride in Belfast
When the victim clicks the link, it redirects him to a professional-looking website that will screen out potential offenders. The catch: in order to be declared “clean,” a patron must provide vital information, as well as a 50-Euro payment via credit card. The website also attempts to allay fears by noting “50% of all payments will be donated to LGBT harassment victims.”
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Of course, there’s no such thing as an LGID, and the website merely scams users out of money. It also collects personal details that could be used for blackmail or other forms of harassment in the future. A number of cybersecurity firms, including ESET Ireland, have declared the entire website “a scam” and caution users not to fall for its carefully orchestrated scheme.
The scheme is just the latest in an ongoing series of scams and crimes perpetrated using Grindr. Of late, the company which owns the popular networking app has come under fire for not doing enough to protect user data, and for being owned by a homophobic Chinese company.
Chrisk
Oh sign me up. I love it!
Ha. If you send them that sorry you deserve to be scammed. Sucker born every minute as they say.
flightoftheseabird
I’ve been getting solicited for this scam for over a year. How is it just hitting Ireland?
M K
I’ve been hit up with this scam several times in the last year as well… This is nothing new.
charlie_jackpot
I know it’s a scam as the hot guys never come on to me
ShiningSex
IF YOU’RE SCAMMED IN ANY WAY BY ANYONE, YOU’RE AN IDIOT AND DESERVE TO GET SCAMMED.
RichNYC
Man your every post is nasty and you are so full of yourself. I don’t comment much but you are an ahole
fireman452
My husband and I have had guys try this several times in the last two years – nothing new – we just ignore them but I figure there must be a good number that don’t or they would not keep trying
fpcinnyc
So many guys and bots trying this scam!
[email protected]
This one has been going on for a couple of years now. The newer one but not very new is from a massage therapist wants you to make an appointment on this special website and pre pay for the service. By doing so you get 50% off.
I never went to the website as it felt like it was not legit.
If the guy is in the hotel across the street from me at 9pm on a weeknight and I want a “massage” right now why do I have to register for his website to make sure I’m legit? Meet me in your lobby in 10 minutes and if I dont show up I doubt you missed an appointment with someone else. When we meet I’ll show my i.d.
2nd why would you offer a 50% discount on a $100 hour massage?
BV90210
This is old news. We have had this down under for the last couple of years. We also get the guys saying they are after a life partner and will do anything if you just join their website, as well as the massage therapist. Maybe Queerty will report on these in 2021?
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Anyone who falls for any internet scam deserves the loss. It’s not like there haven’t been warnings….
masterwill7
What kind of pathetic people initiate such scams?? Get a life and go work for your money.. Such a loser if you even think of starting such a thing!!
nm4047
the quote attributed to PT Barnum (Hugh Jackman ;-p) there’s a sucker born everyday. Or a Tussers, a fool and his money are soon parted. On this occasion, the ‘victim’ should be blamed.
Baldmedic64
There are a lot of vulnerable people who are desparate enough to be drawn in by this type of scam. That’s why they exist. The sad part about it, is not that they get drawn in, not even that there are evil people drawing them in. No. The really sad part is, that there are self opinionated, egotistical tossers out there that think that they hold the moral high ground for being comfortable enough in their existence to think that everyone else is stupid for falling for it. Those are the people I despise the most, because they are only that judgemental because they didn’t think up the scam itself and use it for themseves.
iminheatlikeacat
You can think people are stupid and yet also not want to be a scammer yourself at the same time though.
It applies logical thinking, which many seem to not do (I guess this is why there are so many scams though). Many ways, too many for me to bother to list, but the first and most obvious one is: why is a person that allegedly got beat up messaging random guys on a hook up app and asking for money?
yvrdadnextdoor
Canadian here. This isn’t new, it’s been happening for ages. Safe ID scams. Military Man seeking life partner. Sugar Daddy scams.
Here’s the story someone should be writing:
Grindr is a terrible platform for scams – not exaggerating, I report dozens of scams every single week. As soon as I tick the “relationship” box on my profile they flood in.
Grindr should be doing more; there are a number of computing approaches they could use to thwart or slow down scammers.
I engage scammers long enough to get documented the repetitive script they use and then report. Often I’ll attempt to engage them as people or shame them into divulging what they are up to. One was from Ghana. Two from Nigeria. And more than a few from Mumbai. Given they keep targetting me clearly they have lots of bodies working on this or they’d stop bothering me personally.
The tech is there to at least put a big dent in the scammer biz. Grindr hasn’t. Why?
fpcinnyc
Same here. They even use the same picture for scamming at times. I engage enough to report them. Any time someone on Grindr tells me they are looking for their soul mate, or if I would devote my entire life to the right man I’ve heard this scam so many times I run!
Ogden
Yeap, this has been around for ever. I’ve been getting these texts on Grindr for at least 2 years now. This scam has ALSO been on other online hookup sites for years. I’ve actually gotten a few of these sites shut down in the past.
IF anyone wants me to help get them shut down, feel free to contact me. It’s pretty easy.
You have to find out what company is hosting it (they typically don’t know what is going on). (Do a whois search on the webaddress) Email that company with the problem and say both: It’s a hate crime and that they know it is. That they should just take it down so the cops don’t have to get involved.
The newest thing on Grindr etc is for people (or bots) posing as escorts or bodyworkers to ask you to sign up for a website for $2 USD that will confirm you aren’t a sex offender.
Doug
Anyone who doesn’t get a heads-up when they’re asked for their credit card number is asking for it.
Thad
What great money-making ideas!
OzJosh
This one has now hit in Australia. The scammer refers you to a website which looks reasonably legit (at least in that well designed and reads well). But then you get asked for credit card confirmation, which should be confirmation that you’re about to be scammed. The other signs that all is not well… 1) the guy in the pic is way too hot, 2) he goes from “hi” to “hookup?” at lightening speed, without asking the usual questions, 3) he shares pix without asking for yours (as if!), 4) the pix he shares are nudes including face and they’re slightly too well shot. If you miss all these signs and still give you’re credit card details, then you probably deserve to be scammed.
michel_banen
I never used a dating app so far. I met my very first boyfriend nearly 23 years ago in a gay youth center and we’re still together (and married for 11 years now). Too bad people have to rely on apps now to meet up as special and safe gay youth centers where we met hardly exist anymore.
RichNYC
I agree. I met my hubby in my living room through a friend…30 years ago. I feel sorry for those who are relegated to online sex/dating sites. Where is the personality and realness in that. People get social first!
balttymore
That’s a hell of a lot of work to get some D…..
20150611MSJ
I am in Australia and received exactly the same,.
valentino888
The the harsh and bitchy comments here about “deserving to be scammed” is why there is no longer a gay community. Some people may not know good English. Maybe some are new to the app and think it’s normal. Maybe an older gay who doesn’t understand all of this crap so well gets scammed. And yea.. maybe someone just isn’t so bright. Doesn’t mean they deserve it. “Watch out my brothers, those straight bastards are up to something” was my first thought when I saw this story.
rj1992
In Canada I have gotten this scam about 100 times the last 3 months. The guys will bait you with pics of themselves. Another good one is the im a US Army guy and I need a gift card to get home scam
Ogden
Yeap, this has been around for ever. I’ve been getting these texts on Grindr for at least 2 years now. This scam has ALSO been on other online hookup sites for years. I’ve actually gotten a few of these sites shut down in the past.
IF anyone wants me to help get them shut down, feel free to contact me. It’s pretty easy.
You have to find out what company is hosting it (they typically don’t know what is going on). (Do a whois search on the webaddress) Email that company with the problem and say both: It’s a hate crime and that they know it is. That they should just take it down so the cops don’t have to get involved.
The newest thing on Grindr etc is for people (or bots) posing as escorts or bodyworkers to ask you to sign up for a website for $2 USD that will confirm you aren’t a sex offender.