Scam playbooks
How romance, crypto, and impersonation scams work, and what to do if you suspect someone isn't who they say they are.
Want the actual messages? Read annotated scam scripts →
Wrong number text message crypto scam (pig butchering)
The "wrong number" scam is the primary entry vector for international cyber-fraud syndicates running Sha Zhu Pan ("Pig Butchering"). Scammers send thousands of seemingly accidental text messages daily featuring stolen influencer photos. Once you reply politely, they pivot to friendly conversation, switch to WhatsApp or Telegram, and systematically groom you into investing in a fraudulent cryptocurrency trading platform.
Oil rig engineer romance scam: script, red flags, and video verification
The oil rig engineer persona is one of the longest-running romance scams on Tinder, Match, and Facebook. It provides scammers with the perfect pretext: a handsome, high-earning widower who is geographically unreachable, works in hazardous conditions with poor internet, and inevitably suffers an emergency equipment failure or injury requiring tens of thousands of dollars in emergency assistance.
Military peacekeeper romance scam: signs, script, and ID verification
Military romance scams systematically target women and men on dating platforms using photos stolen from genuine decorated military officers and fallen soldiers. Scammers claim to be on classified combat or peacekeeping deployments (Syria, Yemen, Ukraine), unable to access their military pay, and desperately need funds for military leave paperwork, medical care, or shipping valuable belongings home.
Google Voice verification code scam: the 6-digit SMS hijack
This scam occurs across dating apps, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace. A match or buyer claims they need to verify you are a genuine human rather than a bot. In the background, the scammer enters your mobile phone number into Google Voice to register a new virtual VoIP line. Google sends a 6-digit authentication code to your phone. If you share that code, the scammer links your phone number to their Google Voice account, allowing them to impersonate you, harass victims, and conduct anonymous extortion using your identity.
FaceTime and video call sextortion scam: recorded video blackmail
In video call sextortion scams, victims match with an attractive profile on Tinder, Bumble, or Instagram who quickly suggests moving to Skype, FaceTime, or WhatsApp for an intimate video chat. The scammer plays a pre-recorded adult video feed through their webcam, encouraging the victim to reciprocate. Within seconds of the victim undressing, the scammer terminates the call, displays a recorded screen capture of the victim alongside a collage of their Instagram follower list, and demands an immediate cryptocurrency ransom.
DeFi liquidity pool voucher scam: Tether and Trust Wallet drainer
This advanced cyber-scam merges romance grooming with decentralized finance (DeFi) exploits. The scammer builds romantic rapport, then casually mentions earning $1,000+ daily in passive income through a "liquidity mining pool". To disarm your suspicions, they tell you your money never leaves your own private non-custodial wallet (Trust Wallet, MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet). When you open their DApp link to "receive a certificate voucher", you unwittingly sign an unlimited token approval transaction (`approve(address, uint256)`). The moment your balance grows, the syndicate drains your wallet.
Telegram task and video rating scam: the fake remote job trap
The Telegram task scam (also known as the "app optimization" or "brushing" scam) lures job seekers through unsolicited WhatsApp/Telegram invitations. Victims are invited to complete simple online tasks like liking videos, clicking hotel reviews, or boosting merchant ratings. At first, the platform pays a real $20 to $50 bonus into your bank or crypto account. Then, you encounter a "combo task" or "negative balance" requiring you to deposit personal funds to unlock your accumulated earnings.
Diplomatic trunk and inheritance customs scam: the unclaimed gold trap
In this classic advance-fee romance fraud variant, an online romantic partner claims to have inherited millions of dollars in family gold, war bounty, or contract funds stored in a diplomatic trunk box. They arrange for a private courier with "diplomatic immunity" to deliver the box to your front doorstep. Midway through transit, you receive an urgent call from a "customs agent" claiming the courier was detained at an international airport and will be arrested unless you pay an emergency customs clearance or anti-terrorism certificate fee.
Military seller vehicle escrow scam: the eBay Motors impersonation
This scam floods Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and OfferUp with listings for luxury SUVs, trucks, and classic cars at 50% below market value. The seller claims to be a recently widowed nurse or a US soldier deploying overseas who needs a quick sale. They claim the vehicle is already in a military shipping container, and that eBay Motors or a third-party escrow service will ship the car to your house for a 5-day test drive before releasing your payment. The "eBay invoice" they send is a fake phishing document instructing payment via gift cards or wire transfer.
Free Catfish Detector & Video Verification
Modern catfishing has evolved beyond simply stealing Instagram pictures. Syndicates now deploy generative AI portraits from Flux and Midjourney, live face-swapping software like Deep Live Cam, and pre-recorded looping video clips to deceive targets. Sealed Rose provides a free in-memory forensic verification tool to inspect photos and video clips for synthetic generator artifacts, biometric inconsistencies, and facial boundary seams.
International Catfish Detector: Cross-Border Scam Protection
International romance fraud operations exploit geographic distance as the perfect cover story for why they can never meet in person. Operating out of transnational cybercrime compounds, these syndicates deploy trained script handlers working alongside AI translation and generative tools. They impersonate foreign military officers, petroleum engineers, luxury fashion buyers, or international cryptocurrency traders.
How to Tell If a Video Has Filters or Is a Deepfake
Almost all social media platforms offer automated beauty smoothing, facial reshaping, and color grading filters. However, there is a fundamental technical difference between an augmented reality cosmetic filter and an adversarial neural deepfake face swap. Learning the visual tells helps you spot whether a video is lightly enhanced or completely synthetic.