The internet is a great place to search for opportunities to connect, make new friends, and go online dating. But be warned, not everything about the internet is good. In fact, online scammers who con people for money have been rampant since the ‘90s.
If you remembered the “Nigerian Prince” scam, you’d probably be laughing right now. How silly is it for a Nigerian Prince to hand a random stranger a lump sum of cash by asking for the victim’s bank and social security number?
Well, if you think that’s silly, there are more oblivious scams on the internet these days, especially with online dating. Are you feeling lonely and would love to have an intimate and romantic yet somewhat spicy relationship online? What if I told you that there’s a website or application where you pay attractive women online to talk to you?
Have you ever heard of OnlyFans?
What is OnlyFans About?
Is OnlyFans like a relationship scam?
Founded sometime in 2016, OnlyFans is an on-demand subscription-based platform where content creators post behind-the-scenes footage, extra scenes, or custom content as requested by subscribers. Its original intent was to be like Twitter and Patreon, all in one; a site where a community of subscribers and fans would gather to pay a subscription to be closer to the content creator. It was only in 2017 that the owners decided to lift the ban on adult content, opening the floodgates to a tidal wave of cash.
The company used to focus mostly on Music, Arts, and Culinary content, hence the name OnlyFans—a website where only fans of niche content creators would pay to connect with them. But ever since the ban was lifted, it has predominantly become a site for SW (sex workers) to promote their content and do a form of online dating for money.
Gorgeous Women Online Want You… and Your Money
If you head over to the recommendations portion of the search page on Instagram, you’ll see some lewd woman trying to be funny or relate to people’s humor. That’s because they’re trying to entice you to their OnlyFans page where you can pay them to interact with you.
These models cater to different kinds of fetish and they would make teasers and “funny” videos to attract visitors. That’s how they con people for money. They would lure you in by promoting themselves on different social media platforms.
How Do They Con People For Money?
Aside from the lewd advertising online, the majority of OnlyFans creators would create two accounts. One would be the free-to-access profile, where interested subscribers flock towards the creator’s free content.
These new and gullible subscribers are getting scammed on social media because the moment they see “FREE,” they all flock like moths to a flame. The free account’s purpose is to find prospects and potential money spenders.
They start romancing the subscribers like the internet dating fraudsters they are and manipulate them into purchasing their videos by giving them free teaser content—luring them into a spending spree; gaslighting them into thinking they’d make the creator feel bad and worthless if they won’t purchase their content.
Creators would make a second account for “VIP boyfriends.” It’s a type of online romance scam where they ask people in the free account to pay over $100 just to subscribe to their other account—and in return, they’ll be rewarded with various content. Yes, they are rewarded with exclusive content, but in reality, they still use recycled content from the free account.
They even have this Custom Request system where you can tip a certain amount of money so you can request the model to do a specific kind of video or jump into a voice/video call with them. Sometimes, they’d charge you a minimum of $200 for a custom request.
The worst part is, that you won’t even get them immediately because they’re too busy making the requested videos or fulfilling other people’s requests. So you’re stuck in a queue, waiting for your turn to receive the custom content or have the video call with the model.
How is it a Scam When They’re Getting What They Paid For?
The truth is that these models are being handled by various modeling agencies. You’d think you’re talking to a model, but you’re actually talking to some guy in another country who’s practically as lonely as you, except he’s earning commissions out of the money that you spent on a model’s content.
Yes, you are looking at the model’s videos and pictures, but you are not necessarily chatting with them. Think of the chatters as middlemen that bridge the subscribers to the model. This way, the model is free to do her daily routine, while the chatters maintain her subscriber base. She merely sends videos and pictures to the chatters who manage her content according to the subscribers’ needs.
You’d think that paying for a model’s subscription would guarantee a romantic online date with them, but in reality, it’s just another online romance scam that you’ve been led to.
If You’re A Subscriber, You’ve Been Scammed.
If you’re spending on an online model who barely chats with you and just wants to sell you content, the tendency is that you’re just getting scammed on social media.
So, is OnlyFans like a relationship scam? Of course, it is. Imagine paying $50 to $100 for some videos and pictures, only to be told something like “I really like you. You’re a special kind of guy. You’re the only one who can make me feel so pretty and happy.” But the truth is, you’re just one of the thousands of people they say it to.
If you don’t believe it, try to think of it this way: Usually, models would have around 100K to 800K followers on Instagram. Out of those 500K Instagram followers, 20K subscribe to their free account, and of those 20K who subscribe to the free account, a thousand subscribe to the expensive VIP account.
If a thousand subscribers paid $100 to subscribe, along with a 2% cut from the OnlyFans website, that model and agency are being paid $98K from subscription alone.
Every day, a group of freelance chatters hired by the agency are tasked to manage accounts of various models. They have a common goal—to sell as much content as possible.
Save Your Money, Spend it Somewhere Else
If you want to avoid becoming a victim of an online romance scam, interact with the people you see and know personally. You’re better off finding a real woman at the beach, or even your local park than in such a platform. You have better chances of finding someone genuine that way.
Be smart with your money. Just because you can afford some person’s online content doesn’t mean you should purchase it. It’s not art, it’s not consumable, it’s not worth it. Then again, only you can decide for yourself. But always remember to make the right decisions when it comes to your money being spent.