Fake escorts demand PayPal ‘deposits’ in Snapchat sex scam

Racy liaisons arranged on social media may not eventuate into anything other than drained bank accounts and embarrassed victims. Photo / Getty Images, Herald montage

Catfish or robots posing as sex workers on social media are asking people to make “deposits” via PayPal.

Victims of the sleazy scam are unlikely to get much sympathy - but the broader misuse of PayPal by con artists has concerned some experts.

Some Snapchat scammers are demanding gift cards in exchange for sex but have no intention of engaging in amorous antics and may not even live in the same country as the targets.

A Snapchat user approached an Auckland man recently and struck up a conversation with him.

According to screenshots of the exchange, the person appeared to be an attractive woman and asked for his location.

He said he lived in Auckland, and then the Snapchat user claimed to be in the same city.

The Auckland man asked his correspondent for their home neighbourhood, and they replied “Auckland Domain”.

That answer made the man suspicious, and then he was sent nude photos and videos and his new Snapchat friend claimed to be an escort.

They then promised to meet him as long as he paid at least $50 first via PayPal.

The man did not know how to use PayPal so would not have been able to make the deposit even if he’d wanted to.

Apart from fake escort scams, broader misuse of PayPal has raised concerns.

“As with any product sold online, if you pay ahead of time there is a risk,” cybersecurity agency Cert NZ said.

“You should do everything you can to ensure the money is going to the correct person and that the goods or services will be delivered.”

This could include looking at reviews of the business online or asking for some form of verification, a Cert NZ spokesman added.

“If you believe you have been scammed you can contact the system you used to pay, such as your bank or PayPal.”

But by then it was often too late to retrieve funds.

“You can also contact the platform you were contacted on to inform them of the scam. In this case, the scammer is likely hoping that the nature of the service would mean you’re too embarrassed to report it.”

The con was one of several where scammers abused the PayPal service, according to tech company VPN Overview.

The “advance payment” con involved somebody demanding a small sum via PayPal to cover transaction fees or some other fake expense, but once that money was sent, victims never heard from the scammer again.

A more sinister version of the scam, reported to be on the rise in the US recently, involved scammers targeting teenagers.

CBS News said scammers posed as women, approached teens, and eventually asked for nude photos, demanding the target show their face in the photos.

The scammers then extorted victims, demanding money. A US police department advised Snapchat users to block strangers and anyone who sent inappropriate messages.