Scammers Are Using Sexts To Extort Thousands Of Dollars From Online Dating Users

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Online dating users in Florida are experiencing a wave of scammers -though they might not realize it until it's too late.

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This week, the Broward Sheriff's Office reported that scammers are infiltrating mbuzzy.com, a website that allows users to meet and chat.

The scammers first pose as daters, eventually coaxing users into sending sexually explicit pictures. Then, the scammers identify themselves as a Broward Sheriff's deputy looking for child predators, reports Florida's Fox 4 News. The scammer tells the (likely bewildered and unsuspecting) user that their sext was sent to a minor, and tells the user they can avoid being arrested by paying a fine via money order or Western Union.

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"Apparently my name is being used," said Broward Sheriff's Office Major Don Peterson. "Utilizing my name as a law enforcement officer, they try to get these victims to send money. Basically it's an extortion."

More than 100 people have fallen for the trick since March, paying anywhere from $500 to $1,500 to avoid being "arrested."

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Other online dating services have encountered similar problems. Hookup app Tinder has been suffering from an "influx of spam bots and fake profiles," according to online security company Symantec.

You can watch the Fox 4 News clip below: