So far, 2022 has been the year of the scammer—for streaming services. From deception in romance to fake identities and hustling investors, three of the most high-profile cases of fraud have captured audiences for their shocking yet entertaining storylines, as depicted by The Tinder Swindler (a Netflix movie) The Dropout (Hulu series), and Inventing Anna (Netflix series).
These bingeable programs depict a unique type of fraud—each of them masterminded and executed by a threat actor who exploits their victims for profit (and now, notoriety).
Though their entertainment value is high, so too are the risks these smash hits depict: romance fraud, fraud against investors, synthetic identity fraud.
The Tinder Swindler: Romance and love fraud
TV
Simon Leviev, a conman from Israel, aptly earned himself the nickname “Tinder Swindler” after using Tinder to find victims for his schemes. Pretending to be the wealthy son of a Russian-Israeli diamond mogul, he connected with women that he would initially spend time wooing with a lavish lifestyle (funded by his previous victims), including luxurious gifts and trips on private jets.
After a sufficient amount of time emotionally manipulating his victims and faking a deep romantic connection with them, Leviev would send messages and images indicating that he had been physically attacked and was being targeted by his “enemies.” As a result of the attack, he…
