'Tinder Swindler' plans dating app with identity verification feature

Key Points:

• Shimon Hayut, known as the "Tinder Swindler" for his past romance fraud schemes, is launching a dating app called Safe Love aimed at preventing deception and scams in online dating by implementing strict identity verification measures.
• Hayut, convicted of fraud, theft, and forgery in Israel and Finland, plans to require users to upload government ID and take selfies for identity matching, with a 15% similarity threshold between profile photos and selfies to ensure authenticity.
• Safe Love will include a safety feature with an SOS button that records audio and video and shares the user's location with law enforcement if they feel unsafe during a date.
• The Online Dating and Discovery Association (ODDA) has opposed Hayut's app, urging Google and Apple to ban it from their platforms due to concerns about a convicted fraudster operating in a trust-based environment, but Hayut remains confident the app will launch successfully.
• Hayut compares himself to Frank Abagnale Jr., a former con artist turned fraud-prevention expert, and emphasizes his commitment to making the dating environment safe, highlighting his personal growth and responsibility as a father.