The recent kidnapping incidents of subscribers of the online and location-based dating app Grindr have raised safety concerns about the platform designed for the LGBTQI community.
Many experts believe that Grindr, like many other location-based dating apps, is not safe due to personal data being made accessible to strangers online.
These apps are said to be a gold mine for scammers, hackers and online predators looking to compromise users’ security, steal their personal information and kidnap or blackmail them.
A Grindr subscriber who became a victim of kidnapping in Johannesburg was identified as Mohau Pholo, a member of the LGBTQI community from Rosettenville, South of Joburg. Pholo was kidnapped last Thursday only to be released on Monday.
It is reported that the family of the victim was instructed to pay a ransom of R50,000 for the safe return of their child after the perpetrators accessed the victim’s social media accounts to post videos of him naked.
A TikTok video highlighted the harrowing abduction, while police faced accusations of colluding with the perpetrators.
Pholo, who was treated in hospital following his release on Monday, has since returned to his Bloemfontein home to be with his family following the ordeal.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, LGBTQI activist Yaya Mavundla accused the police of working with the kidnappers, saying that their behaviour has reinforced their previous experiences.
“The police want support for themselves and not for him. They refused to have one of us offer support to him... We went to the police station after learning of the situation to try and put pressure on them to track where the perpetrators are. However, the police have not tracked the cellphone number of those involved more than four days after the victim was kidnapped,” Mavundla said.
In one of the videos, the victim, who is stripped naked, is being pressured to reveal his home address and admit to selling his body.
The latest incident comes just three weeks after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court’s decision to deny bail to the seven men accused of kidnapping a Wits student on the same dating platform.
The seven men, who were denied bail early this month, were Sanele Ndlovu, Vikani Khanyeza, Sehollo Khumalo, Sphamandla Mavundla, Lungisani Tshabalala, Thulani Mazibuko and Khayelihle Zulu. They are facing charges of kidnapping, extortion and attempted murder.
It is reported that these men allegedly lured the 18-year-old student through Grindr and also demanded a R30,000 ransom from his family for his safe return.
NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane welcomed the recent court decision denying the accused bail.
The NPA also indicated that kidnapping offences have become prevalent in the court’s jurisdiction, adding that the NPA takes such offences very seriously.
“We are hoping investigations will be finalised speedily so we can set a trial date,” Mjonondwane said.
They also sent nude pictures and videos of the student, who was bruised and tied up, to his family when demanding a ransom, and the student’s father was asked to deposit money through an e-wallet.
This time around, the police successfully monitored the cellphone number and a breakthrough came when an ATM on the M2 was identified when one of the suspects tried to withdraw the ransom money.
However, for the latest victim, the police are yet to make any arrests.
Mavundla has urged young queer people to try and stay off Grindr for a while as it is a safety risk. Specialist investigator Mike Bolhuis told YFM News that there has been an increase in similar reports.
“We have found that also on these dating sites, the false identities and information theft is enormous. The social media world out there is a dangerous world,” he said.
Saturday Star