[SOLVED] Google HangOut (or Viber) Used for SCAMMING ???

[sharkticon]

Hello, I don't know where to ask. I hope you guys can help.

I met some random "white men" in dating apps. I know there are more scammers than real people nowadays, who want to scam people. Twice, I met different white men who claimed they could not use Whatsapp for videocall. They insisted me on using Google Hangout or Viber.

CASE 1:
The white man claimed his signal was very bad. So when we cammed, his video froze. I felt like I was staring at a PHOTO instead of a frozen video call. I could hear his voice but the video was not moving. Then the call was cut off.

CASE2:
This Italian man claimed to work in Guam for American top secret military (I know! It's a red flag already). His video call was weirder. I saw a man wearing Arabian headdress using a selfie stick. He was moving around as if trying to get signal. I saw his mouth moving BUT it was not synchronized with his voice! Then the video seemed to be looping.

QUESTION:

1. Can you really play a video or a photo to "hide yourself" during a videocall ???
2. How about Viber? Can it do the same thing?
3. If both answers are yes, then WHY the hell do they install such stupid function?! -,-'

 

[Ralston18]

Google "Google Hangout Scams".

Any app and actually just about anything that can be exploited for personal or financial gain (eventually mostly the latter) will be exploited.

Avoid such sites and my recommendation is to just not install such apps, add-ons, etc. at all.

It is good that you recognize the problems cited in Case1 and Case 2. And continue to be very dubious about their "claims" any encouragement on their part for you do do something else.

All too easy to manipulate outgoing video to present different appearances. I have younger family members who can do such things.

Turn themselves into a cartoon avatar that follows their motions and speech.

Bad guys have and will use more sophisticated methods. Some crude, some clumsy, some immediate "fail" but all intended to part you from your money.

Frustrating for sure. Keep your defenses fully up and exit at the first sign of any deceit, inconsistencies, or attempts to take advantage of you.

 

[Mtop]

A note when video chops for me the audio does also.

 

[USAFRet]

I met some random "white men" in dating apps

Mistake #1

So when we cammed,

Mistake #2

This Italian man claimed to work in Guam for American top secret military (I know! It's a red flag already)

That's not a "red flag". But because I'm a really nice guy, I won't say what it actually is.