Tinder Swindler Victim Launches Scam-Proof ID Verifier
▼ Summary
– Pernilla Sjöholm, a survivor of the Tinder Swindler scam, co-founded IDfier, a human-to-human identity verification platform to combat online fraud.
– IDfier verifies users by scanning their ID documents and using NFC chips, followed by a head movement check to prevent deepfake impersonation.
– The platform encrypts and stores user data across multiple servers, allowing verified users to share selective personal information securely.
– Sjöholm aims to reduce identity fraud, which costs over $1 trillion annually, and advocates for making fake identities illegal under EU law.
– IDfier is available as a subscription service, with plans to offer it free to young people to prevent scams targeting them.
Online dating scams have reached alarming levels, but one survivor is fighting back with an innovative solution. Pernilla Sjöholm, whose harrowing experience with notorious con artist Simon Leviev was featured in Netflix’s The Tinder Swindler, has co-founded IDfier, a groundbreaking identity verification platform designed to prevent fraud before it happens.
Developed alongside computer scientist Suejb Memeti, IDfier combines biometric authentication with NFC chip scanning to confirm users are who they claim to be. The process begins with scanning a government-issued ID, followed by a live facial movement check to rule out deepfakes or stolen images. Once verified, users can securely share only the details they choose—whether a name, age, or contact information—while keeping all data encrypted across multiple servers.
Sjöholm’s personal ordeal began in 2018 when she matched with Leviev on Tinder. Posing as a wealthy diamond heir, he manipulated her into funding his lavish lifestyle before vanishing with tens of thousands of euros, leaving her financially devastated. The emotional toll, she says, was even worse than the monetary loss. “Fraud isn’t just theft—it’s emotional abuse,” she emphasizes.
Now, with IDfier, Sjöholm aims to turn her trauma into a tool for change. The platform boasts 99.9% accuracy in detecting impersonators, a critical feature as synthetic identities and AI-generated scams surge. Beyond dating apps, the technology could secure everything from e-commerce transactions to social media accounts, addressing a global fraud epidemic that costs consumers over $1 trillion annually, according to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance.
Available via subscription starting at $2/month, IDfier targets both individuals and families. But Sjöholm’s vision extends further: she’s advocating for stricter EU laws against fake identities and hopes to offer free access to young users, who are increasingly targeted by online predators.
Her mission comes full circle this June at TNW Conference in Amsterdam—the same city where she first met Leviev. “Returning with this solution feels like reclaiming power,” she says. For those interested in her insights on fraud prevention, the event offers a rare chance to hear firsthand how technology can combat one of the digital age’s most pervasive threats.
With scams evolving faster than ever, IDfier represents more than just a security tool—it’s a lifeline for anyone navigating the risks of online connections. As Sjöholm puts it, “If we can cut identity fraud by even half, we’re not just saving money—we’re saving lives.”
(Source: The Next Web)
