November 3, 2025
Safe practices include meeting in public places, informing a friend of your whereabouts, avoiding inviting contacts into homes before trust is established, and being cautious when financial transactions are requested.
Dating apps like Grindr and Plenty Of Fish, sites typically used by gay men, are becoming platforms for crime. Two recent armed robberies tied to dating apps in Brooklyn, New York, and Atlanta are the newest incidents in gay men-targeting schemes.
On Oct. 23 in Brooklyn, a 47-year-old Flatbush resident arranged a meeting via a dating app at his East 21st Street apartment. He told police two masked men in all black forced their way into his home. The unnamed victim was then held at gunpoint and assaulted. Additionally, his assailants fled with valuables. The victim was hospitalized and remains in stable condition. No arrests have been made, Bronx News reported. Building residents expressed alarm at the building’s ongoing lack of security.
“From a safety perspective, I think that the building could be doing a lot more for us,” one tenant who asked to stay anonymous said. “We’ve reported issues with packages being stolen.”
In another online dating attack, Atlanta police arrested 26-year-old Randarrius Jackson after a man met him on a dating site called Mega Personal at The Renaissance Hotel near Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
According to the victim, Jackson displayed a firearm, forced the victim to send funds via Cash App and Apple Pay, and stole his debit card and PIN. Police say the victim lost over $5,000. Jackson now faces charges including armed robbery and aggravated assault, according to Fox 5.
The victim solicited hotel staff for help and was kept safely in the establishment’s kitchen until police arrived. Jackson was observed on hotel surveillance leaving the hotel and was subsequently caught and arrested in Lenox Square shortly thereafter.
These cases reflect a broader national trend of deception and violence emerging from digital platforms. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, cyber-enabled crime losses exceeded $16.6 billion in 2024. The figure is a 33% increase over the previous year.
Law enforcement officials and consumer-safety experts urge those meeting online to treat any in-person meetup like a transaction. Best practices include meeting in public places, informing a friend of your whereabouts, avoiding inviting contacts into homes before trust is established, and being cautious when financial transactions are requested.
RELATED CONTENT: It’s National ADHD Awareness Month: Tap Into These Helpful Apps
