Failed Grindr encounter...

[+ Italiano]

A few days ago I started to chat with this guy on Grindr. The usual exchange of pics (very hot guy, my type!), agreement of what we are into, and decision to meet soon at this place. I felt him slightly too insistent in meeting asap but hey, that's pretty normal on Grindr.

Eventually we agreed on a time yesterday afternoon, he gives me his address (35 minutes by car) and I leave home excited and horny. I let him know that I am 10 minutes from his home and he sends me a pic of a young boy playing a videogame at the computer telling me that he just dropped his son at his neighbors to play, so we will be alone and ready to go for a couple of hours. He had not told me he had a son which it would have not been important at all per se, but I found quite creepy that he would leave him with neighbors just to fuck with a total stranger, and even creepier that he would send me a pic of him. Of course I smelled something fishy but not sure what yet. Five minutes later he sends me a message saying that he was so pissed because the card he used for his son to play games wasn't working, and he kindly asked me to pass by a CVS to buy a specific $100 game card and that he would reimburse me immediately as soon as I arrived at his place....🙄

Useless to say that I texted him to go and fuck "himself" , I blocked "him", turned the car and drove back home, feeling really like an idiot, but also glad that I am aware of these scams. 🤷‍♂️

[+ PhileasFogg]

Sharing a kids picture in this context was off the charts b@t$h!t crazy.  It’s good it put your antenna up to something being awry

[EZEtoGRU]

I consider Grindr to be a colossal waste of time...for me at least.  Unless you're in your 20's/30's and in perfect physical condition, you're likely spinning your wheels spending any time on Grindr.  So many fakes/bots/flakes/scammers.

For non-paid hook-ups, I'm actually finding squirt.org much more useful.

[EZEtoGRU]

1 hour ago, PhileasFogg said:

Sharing a kids picture in this context was off the charts b@t$h!t crazy. 

I totally agree.  I would have turned the car around and gone home as soon as he sent that picture.  That's just nuts.

[marylander1940]

1 hour ago, Italiano said:

A few days ago I started to chat with this guy on Grindr. The usual exchange of pics (very hot guy, my type!), agreement of what we are into, and decision to meet soon at this place. I felt him slightly too insistent in meeting asap but hey, that's pretty normal on Grindr.

Eventually we agreed on a time yesterday afternoon, he gives me his address (35 minutes by car) and I leave home excited and horny. I let him know that I am 10 minutes from his home and he sends me a pic of a young boy playing a videogame at the computer telling me that he just dropped his son at his neighbors to play, so we will be alone and ready to go for a couple of hours. He had not told me he had a son which it would have not been important at all per se, but I found quite creepy that he would leave him with neighbors just to fuck with a total stranger, and even creepier that he would send me a pic of him. Of course I smelled something fishy but not sure what yet. Five minutes later he sends me a message saying that he was so pissed because the card he used for his son to play games wasn't working, and he kindly asked me to pass by a CVS to buy a specific $100 game card and that he would reimburse me immediately as soon as I arrived at his place....🙄

Useless to say that I texted him to go and fuck "himself" , I blocked "him", turned the car and drove back home, feeling really like an idiot, but also glad that I am aware of these scams. 🤷‍♂️

He was possibly going to rob you or he was a socially awkward imbecile (white trash) who can't remember taking a pill a day etc.

You did the right thing!

[+ JamesB]

It’s a good thing you let your big head do the thinking, if you’d relied on the little one, you probably would’ve ended up in trouble!

[+ ThroatCummer]

Actually the gift card is what's revealing here because that means you were likely dealing with someone on another continent.

I deal with this for my job daily. They go to call centers in India and other places to "work" and actually get paid a percent of what they make for the organizers of the scams. They're literally all over social media and the apps and number in the tens of millions. 

Edited October 16, 2024 by ThroatCummer

[+ DynamicUno]

I had a "gift card" scammer once with a similar ruse, needed a Xbox card for his kid.  I googled a gift card image with the scratch off code showing and sent it too him, telling him I just bought the card.  He spent a few hours saying he couldn't make the card work, and me just telling him to keep trying and that I could see the balance in my app.  I blocked him after I tired of messing with him.

[MaybeMaybeNot]

I had someone try this with me too. The address led to a weird place, should have tipped me off before leaving my apartment. 

[+ PhileasFogg]

I’m learning something new

[GeoMitch]

So what is this gift card scam?  Why a video game gift card?  Why not a Visa gift card?  

[Rudynate]

There are so many scammers on hookup sites that trying to meet somebody is almost pointless.

[marylander1940]

10 minutes ago, Rudynate said:

There are so many scammers on hookup sites that trying to meet somebody is almost pointless.

They prey on a certain demographic

[wsc]

What a blessing it is, I now realize, to suffer from my degree of MMTI (Mild Modern Technology Impairment). I couldn't find grinder or a game gift card with both hands and a flashlight. And for that I am truly grateful.

[marylander1940]

On 10/16/2024 at 5:15 PM, DynamicUno said:

I had a "gift card" scammer once with a similar ruse, needed a Xbox card for his kid.  I googled a gift card image with the scratch off code showing and sent it too him, telling him I just bought the card.  He spent a few hours saying he couldn't make the card work, and me just telling him to keep trying and that I could see the balance in my app.  I blocked him after I tired of messing with him.

 

Well done.... you stopped him from scamming others in the meantime!

[soloyo215]

On 10/16/2024 at 7:54 AM, PhileasFogg said:

Sharing a kids picture in this context was off the charts b@t$h!t crazy.  It’s good it put your antenna up to something being awry

[Some] Scammers seem to think that sending pictures like that increase their credibility, where the reality is that it's one of the biggest red flags. Any person in their right mind will never send a picture of his child to a stranger.

[soloyo215]

On 10/16/2024 at 7:07 AM, Italiano said:

A few days ago I started to chat with this guy on Grindr. The usual exchange of pics (very hot guy, my type!), agreement of what we are into, and decision to meet soon at this place. I felt him slightly too insistent in meeting asap but hey, that's pretty normal on Grindr.

Eventually we agreed on a time yesterday afternoon, he gives me his address (35 minutes by car) and I leave home excited and horny. I let him know that I am 10 minutes from his home and he sends me a pic of a young boy playing a videogame at the computer telling me that he just dropped his son at his neighbors to play, so we will be alone and ready to go for a couple of hours. He had not told me he had a son which it would have not been important at all per se, but I found quite creepy that he would leave him with neighbors just to fuck with a total stranger, and even creepier that he would send me a pic of him. Of course I smelled something fishy but not sure what yet. Five minutes later he sends me a message saying that he was so pissed because the card he used for his son to play games wasn't working, and he kindly asked me to pass by a CVS to buy a specific $100 game card and that he would reimburse me immediately as soon as I arrived at his place....🙄

Useless to say that I texted him to go and fuck "himself" , I blocked "him", turned the car and drove back home, feeling really like an idiot, but also glad that I am aware of these scams. 🤷‍♂️

Sorry that it happened to you, but glad that you saw right through it. It could have been worse.

[marylander1940]

11 minutes ago, soloyo215 said:

[Some] Scammers seem to think that sending pictures like that increase their credibility, where the reality is that it's one of the biggest red flags. Any person in their right mind will never send a picture of his child to a stranger.

If it's too good to be true...

[Danny-Darko]

I removed myself from all hook-ups social media sites and apps a long time ago. Not a single one has worked out for me ever. They are all plagued with fakes, catfishers and scammers I found. I miss the good old days of gay bars and park cruising when one could meet a real person and see if we liked each other or had chemistry. It wasn't perfect, but it worked before the online fake profile and scams became a thing. 

Edited October 23, 2024 by Danny-Darko

[+ friendofsheila]

This makkes me so glad I never even got started doing online hooksup stuff. 

Thank you Italiano for the reminder of hoaw easy it is for people to tell lies in this new medium.

[+ Italiano]

I ha

On 10/23/2024 at 4:55 PM, Danny-Darko said:

I removed myself from all hook-ups social media sites and apps a long time ago. Not a single one has worked out for me ever. They are all plagued with fakes, catfishers and scammers I found. I miss the good old days of gay bars and park cruising when one could meet a real person and see if we liked each other or had chemistry. It wasn't perfect, but it worked before the online fake profile and scams became a thing. 

Definitely those were good old times!

Nonetheless, I have to say that I have had also some excellent encounters with Grindr first, and some with Manhunt, dudesnude, a4a and (very few) with Scruff. Last was this past Spring, a couple of memorable ones!

Even if I still am in decent shape, at 64 now is less and less probable that it would happen...

Edited October 26, 2024 by Italiano

[pubic_assistance]

On 10/23/2024 at 4:55 PM, Danny-Darko said:

I miss the good old days of gay bars and park cruising when one could meet a real person and see if we liked each other

I totally feel you, there. I did have some good success in the early days of online hook ups....Manhunt, Adam4Adam and GayRomeo ( now Planet Romeo ) but I agree...Grindr is so full of fakes and flakes it's nearly impossible to actually snag a "snack" anymore.