It is hard to tell who is not vulnerable to hacking these days. Being a hacker or an online criminal has become such a good business that the frequency of attacks and the impact have risen exponentially. Private detectives in Russia have witnessed how the online crime business expands in the country and renovates every day with new techniques.  The truth is that the cyber world is full of threats, and dating websites and apps are a big part of these. This does not mean that dating apps are malware or dangerous per se, but they are an easy way in for the criminals.

Why do hackers love dating apps and sites? In the first place, the amount of users of these platforms is massive.  According to the Pew Research Center, 11 percent of American adults have used online dating sites or mobile apps to find love.  If you see this from the business stand point, there is captive potential market of close to 27 million people only in the United States. The figures in other countries like the U.K., Canada, Australia or New Zealand are similar in terms of percentages of users. So the first answer is that hardly any other online service (except for social media) is so global and so massive.

Security experts from Russia PI also warn that the convenience of online dating can also make consumers more vulnerable to online hackers. These criminals have advanced cyber skills and now operate online dating theft rings. They have a pretty good understanding of the fact that dating users are more concerned about their goal (finding love) than about their privacy or safety while trying to achieve this goal. In the meantime, criminals pretend to be singles looking for love with the real intent of securing personal data, or getting victims to send cash.

Online dating has quickly moved from desktop to mobile platforms. Mobile traffic in the dating industry has more than tripled during the last few years. In 2014, mobile apps accounted for 46 percent of digital dating traffic, and although we all knew this was going to happen, what is really scary is that  mobile security has not kept pace with online dating’s growth. According to IBM, 63 percent of the 40 most popular dating apps had a security vulnerability.

Another reason for dating apps being so popular among Russian online criminals is that they give access to  additional features on mobile devices such as the camera, microphone, storage, GPS location and mobile wallet billing information, which in combination with the vulnerabilities makes them exploitable to hackers.  So basically, criminals can lure their victims into sending money while they hack their personal information! It´s like hitting the jackpot.

Before downloading an app, do some research and make sure you understand the risks. If you are already a user and you met someone from Russia, contact us! A background check will help you verify that this person is who she/he claims to be and avoid being a victim of Russian dating scammers.

C. Wright
© 2015 Russia PI™

© Copyright 2015 Russia PI.  All Rights Reserved.  This content is the property of Russia PI, LLC and is protected by United States of America and international copyright laws.