Dating apps are meant to connect people, but scammers use them as fishing grounds. Recently, I encountered one of the fastest-moving scams I’ve seen yet — a sextortion attempt that went from casual chatting to blackmail in just a few hours.
It started on SayHi and moved quickly to Signal — a common tactic. Scammers prefer private messaging apps where platforms can’t monitor them. The person, going by the name Ashaley, seemed friendly enough at first. Then, in classic sextortion style, things escalated fast.
Within hours, they created a fabricated photo collage using some real images of me along with a random explicit photo they claimed was mine. Then came the demand:
“You send me $200 now or I send this to everyone on your social media.”
When I pointed out that the collage wasn’t even accurate, the scammer brushed it off:
“Doesn’t matter. People will believe it’s you.”
The explicit photo they used wasn’t even mine — they didn’t care. Accuracy isn’t the point; fear is the weapon.
How This Scam Works
This is called rapid escalation sextortion. Instead of a long romance con, scammers push the conversation into sexual territory almost immediately. If they get any personal photo, they’ll combine it with stolen pornographic material or AI-faked images to create a compromising collage. Then comes the threat: Pay us, or your friends and family will see this.
Some key red flags:
- Unsolicited nudes: If a new chat partner sends sexual photos right away, it’s bait.
- Too fast, too soon: Real connections don’t rush into sexual talk in hours.
- Moving off the app: Scammers push you to WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram so the dating app can’t shut them down.
- Money + threats: The moment someone demands cash, it’s a scam. Always.
Where Was This Scammer Likely From?
We can’t pinpoint the exact person, but the pattern of this scam matches West African sextortion rings, especially in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
Why?
- Speed: These groups often escalate from hello to blackmail within hours, aiming for volume.
- Dollar amount: The $200 demand is right in the sweet spot they use — quick to pay, not too high to scare off the victim.
- Technique: The crude photo collage (real face photos combined with random porn) is a known West African tactic. Filipino and Southeast Asian groups often rely more on webcam entrapment and hidden recordings.
- Language: Many West African scammers use English, but the phrasing can sometimes feel abrupt or slightly off.
Both Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire have been the focus of FBI and Interpol crackdowns on sextortion networks in the past few years. While there are also Southeast Asian groups, the collage method plus the small-dollar ransom strongly suggests West Africa.
What To Do If It Happens To You
- Don’t pay. Paying once rarely makes them stop — they’ll just demand more.
- Cut contact. Block them everywhere.
- Save evidence. Screenshots of chats, threats, and the profile help law enforcement.
- Lock down your social media. Tighten privacy settings so scammers can’t target your contacts.
- Report it. In the U.S., file at ic3.gov (the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center). Other countries have cybercrime portals too.
Remember: scammers thrive on silence and shame. You’re not alone, and reporting helps shut these networks down.
Final Thoughts
The “Ashaley” case shows just how quickly a scammer can turn a casual chat into a nightmare scenario. The good news is that knowledge is power — once you know the signs, you can spot and shut down these scams before they gain leverage.
Stay skeptical, protect your privacy, and never let a stranger on the internet push you into doing something you’re not comfortable with.
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