Online dates gone wrong as the Omaha Police Department said there’s an uptick of people meeting criminals instead of their potential match.
People have reported seven cases of getting robbed after setting up a date and OPD believes they are all connected.
Police said the victims met up in Miller Park and Florence as the robbers took cell phones and cash.
“They were caught by surprise as to what it was that they walked into,” said OPD Sergeant Lance Worley.
Worley said the robberies occurred in the past seven days from 10p.m. until 4 in the morning using the dating apps Tinder and Plenty of Fish.
“A profile created on social media posing as a female and they end up making contact with a male that's interested in a date they set a location,” said Worley.
OPD said in all the robberies the suspects had a handgun but they just took the victims’ money and cell phones. Worley said the profile pictures the suspects used were stolen from the internet, “The profiles have changed there are a couple of similarities in a few of the cases but essentially its' east to create a profile anybody can create a profile put it up and take it down with ease.”
Police advise while using these apps are a quick way to meet somebody you should be careful on who is on the other side of the phone, “If you utilize social media do it in a proper and safe manner make sure you know who it is you are going to be meeting on the other end,” said Worley.
If you have any information on the 2-3 suspects you are urged to call cirmestoppers, 402-444-STOP.
