Tinder Swindler 2.0: Man Snaps Photos Of Dates’ IDs, Takes Bank Loans Worth $100,000

A man nicknamed "Romeo Crook" from West Yorkshire in England reportedly scammed £80,000 (~$100,000) from a group of women he met on Tinder.

The 35-year-old fraudster, real name Peter Gray, was sentenced to 56 months in prison in February, according to the BBC. He was also given restraining orders in relation to the women he scammed via the online dating app.

During his dates with the women, he sneakily took photos of their IDs and bank cards. He then used those to take out bank loans in their names.

One of his victims, "Jessica," said she met Gray on the app in 2018. She just came out of a six-year relationship at the time and was won over by him being "a good listener and everything [she] needed at the time."

Gray took out a £9,000 (~$11,270) loan under her name after a visit to his apartment on their third date.

"I left my bag on his dining table. He went in my bag and took pictures of my driving license and both my bank cards," she said, recalling that she was in the bathroom when it happened.

She said Gray offered to pay back the money over time, but she did not "want to be tied to [him] for five years because [she] barely even knew him," so she just reported him to the police.

Another woman victimized by Gray after meeting on Tinder also came forward and said she received an acceptance letter for a £20,000 (~$25,000) loan under her name a week after she called it quits with him.

Like "Jessica," she was also won over by his "calming and reassuring" front. But unlike "Jessica," she got back together with him a few months later and was showered with gifts and love declarations when she did.

However, she broke up with him again because "the alarm bells and red flags were just waving high."

In 2020, the Tinder fraudster matched with another woman, "Elizabeth," and repeated his scheme. However, the woman got suspicious when he sent flowers to her home even without revealing her address.

The bank also revoked her mortgage two days before she moved into her new house. She discovered Gray took out a £10,000 (~$12,500) loan under her name using her driving license.

The stories of the three victims are featured in the BBC's "5 Minutes On" episode titled "The Women Conned by a Romance Fraudster."

Amid the issue of fraudsters using Tinder to lure victims, the dating app released a statement saying, "We have implemented various ways to warn users of potential scams or fraud, from in-app features to pop-up messages and education."

"All users can request that their match be photo-verified prior to messaging. We also partner with non-governmental organizations and local authorities to promote awareness of online fraud."

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