Convicted romance fraudster Shimon Hayut, internationally known as the “Tinder Swindler,” is planning to launch a new dating application called Safe Love to prevent online dating scams, foxnews.com reported. The proposed app aims to screen users through rigid identification checks, drawing immediate opposition from online dating industry groups asking tech giants Apple and Google to block its distribution.
Industry Opposition to Safe Love
The Online Dating and Discovery Association (ODDA) sent a letter to Apple and Google urging the tech companies to refuse to list or immediately remove any dating platform founded, operated, or fronted by Hayut, according to reports from internationalbeastimes.co.uk and fashiontimes.co.uk. The ODDA publicized the letter on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, noting it was dated 17 September. ODDA Chief Simon Newman stated that allowing a convicted romance fraudster to operate within the dating industry undermines ongoing sector efforts to combat online fraud and protect vulnerable users, aol.com reported. Newman told the ICIJ that such involvement “seriously undermines the work our sector is doing to tackle fraud” and “can only have negative repercussions for platforms and users alike,” adding that “action is needed to prevent it.” DatingNews.com noted that between 2017 and 2019, Hayut allegedly defrauded multiple women out of hundreds of thousands of dollars across Europe using false identities and fake passports before his story gained widespread notoriety through the 2022 Netflix documentary The Tinder Swindler.
App Verification Features Proposed by Hayut
Hayut defends his new venture by arguing that his criminal past gives him unique insight into how fraudsters operate and evade detection, stating to foxnews.com that he knows how fake passports look and how to challenge digital security systems. He told Fox News Digital, “The idea came from me being the Tinder Swindler,” and stated he believes his expertise makes him the “perfect candidate” to help others. Profile photos would be rejected if they differ from the verified selfie by more than 15%, and the platform is planned to include an SOS panic button that records audio, video, and user location for law enforcement authorities during unsafe dates, foxnews.com reported. Hayut has noted the platform would require regulation and approval, stating, “I have to create something so great.”
Hayut Served Prison Sentences for Fraud and Theft
Public records and interviews confirm that Hayut was convicted of fraud, theft, and forgery charges in multiple jurisdictions, serving a two-year sentence in Finland starting in September 2015 for defrauding three women, and a 15-month prison sentence in Israel in 2019 before his release after five months, according to foxnews.com and fashiontimes.co.uk. He confirmed to Fox News Digital that he was arrested in Israel in 2011 and 2017, and was extradited from Greece to Israel in June 2019. While Hayut maintains he has paid his debts to society and is no longer the individual he was at age 19, dating safety advocates including documentary subject Pernilla Sjöholm have pointed to independent identity verification systems already created by victims to protect singles from online predators, as detailed by DatingNews.com. Another documentary subject, Ayleen Charlotte, has also worked on scam-awareness initiatives focusing on safeguards and manipulation. Fashiontimes.co.uk noted that the 2019 conviction was separate from allegations by Cecilie Fjellhøy, which Hayut has denied.
Did you know?
Tinder permanently banned Hayut and his known aliases in 2022 after an internal probe found no active accounts under those names.
Frequently Asked Questions About Safe Love
When will the Safe Love app be released?
A specific release date has not been established, as Hayut has stated the app would need regulation and approval before moving forward.
Have Apple and Google responded to the industry ban requests?
It remains unclear how Apple and Google will respond to the ODDA’s request to block the app from their stores.
How much money was involved in the original Tinder Swindler cases?
Media reports and documentary accounts estimate that Hayut conned European victims out of approximately $10 million through romance fraud schemes where he posed as a wealthy businessman, according to aol.com and DatingNews.com.
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