F6 analysts have reported a significant increase in the income of scammers using the FAKE DATE scheme on February 14, February 23, and March 8, amounting to 9.8 million rubles. This figure is double the amount earned in the previous year, when the total reached 5 million rubles.
The fraudulent scheme typically starts with scammers pretending to be an attractive girl and initiating contact with victims on social networks, dating sites, or through chat bots on platforms like Telegram. During the conversation, the scammers suggest purchasing tickets to a movie, theater, or stand-up show where they are supposed to meet, and then send a link to a phishing site or a malicious application. Recently, the criminals have started using audio and video deepfakes to create realistic messages from nonexistent girls in order to convince victims of their authenticity and trick them into spending money. Once the funds are transferred, the victim loses the money, and the scammer stops communicating.
The most lucrative period for scammers this year was Valentine’s Day, during which the four main criminal groups earned approximately 4 million rubles between February 12 and February 14. This amount is nearly double that of the previous year and four times higher than in 2023. According to statistics from one fraudulent group, the most profitable scams were for non-existent cinema tickets, generating 640 thousand rubles, and stand-up shows, which brought in 59 thousand rubles. Losses for victims between February 21 to 23 amounted to 3.3 million rubles, followed by another 2.5 million from March 6 to 8.
Experts analyzing the trends have observed a decrease in the number of criminal groups utilizing this scheme. This year, four groups were active, compared to five the previous year, and seven two years ago. Despite the reduction in the number of groups, new fraudulent projects continuously emerge while old ones are shut down. However, the overall income of the scammers continues to rise, as more participants are drawn to these schemes that do not require advanced technical knowledge or special skills.
The Fake Date scheme’s popularity is attributed to its flexibility, easily adapting to various fraud scenarios, and the increased vulnerability of victims due to pre-holiday distractions. F6 specialists emphasize precautions to avoid falling victim to online dating scams:
- Avoid clicking on links from unknown sources;
- Avoid making payments on suspicious websites;
- Check the domain name of a website and exit if it appears suspicious;
- Only purchase tickets from reputable platforms;
- Regularly update browsers and install security