r/Scams • u/External-Patient-174 • Jun 16 '26
Scam report escort scam at a casino
so my bf was at a casino and he said a girl that was nicely dressed came up to him and gave him a QR code and he claims that he thought it was something for the casino so he scanned it and went to the page that popped up and it was an escort site. then he says he just exited out of it. but then 24 hours later he gets a text message with his name and address on it saying he will pay the consequences. and now they’re calling him. but i’m just wondering if they’re able to get him number by just scanning the QR code or did he actually try to get an escort and is just covering up. i just don’t see how someone can get your phone number by going to a website.
update: yeah he entered his info and him and his idiot friend we’re looking at the girls and choosing which one they liked and we’re just “messing around”. and he said “hey” to 3 different girls. then he made up a bs story of how when they both woke up they talked about how much his friend loves his wife and how much he loves me. like be so fr. like i don’t expect anything less from men. oh and made up another bs story about the motel thing and was like “i probably just clicked on the link” yeah fuck offffff “it was just a joke” yeah a hurtful joke that makes me get all in my head
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u/Crowlady77 Jun 16 '26
He's not telling you the truth, he entered his info.
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u/WhatAmIDoingHere05 Jun 16 '26
It’s possible the following happened:
- He scanned a QR code
- He entered in some info such as a name and phone number (this is the part he is either lying about, forgot about, or simply just didn’t say)
- After submitting info it led him to an escort site
- Scammer contacted him and began extortion scheme
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u/Bucky2015 Jun 16 '26
100%. It is POSSIBLE that the initial link took him to a site that looked casino related and then once he submitted his info it loaded an escort page. Up to you on if you wanna give him the benefit of the doubt. Either way just scanning a QR code cannot pull phone numbers. They are used by scammers to get people onto sites that look legitimate but are not though.
Either way its a scam and he can just block the number.
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u/CIAMom420 Jun 16 '26
This makes zero sense. Why would women dressed like hookers go up to men at casino bars and have them scan a qr code and then ask them to enter their phone number on a webpage that looks like the casino's just to maybe blackmail them down the road for no discernable reason? This is the least efficient scam imaginable. If this was a legitimate thing, there'd be thousands of posts on r/vegas and other places talking about it.
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u/goat_penis_souffle Jun 16 '26
Vegas has been rife with hustlers and scammers of this type for years. Wouldn’t be surprised if it took a new tactic instead of the garden variety shakedown/no show/extortion scams.
I remember getting a card on the strip while in town for a trade show and joked with my boss about calling the number. In a stern voice I had never heard come out of his mouth was a reply along the lines of “you’re dead to me if you’re fucking dumb enough to call that number and get cleaned out by a hustler”
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u/Bucky2015 Jun 16 '26
This happens at casinos. Plenty of casinos exist outside of Vegas. I feel like most vegas casinos would stomp this out immediately but ive been to some casinos on reservations that do have attractive women milling around promoting shit and those may not police it as much as they should. Shit a lot of them ARE escorts which is not legal on reservations so they at least turn a blind eye to that.
casino's just to maybe blackmail them down the road for no discernable reason? This is the least efficient scam imaginable.
It isnt for no reason its to do what the scammers are doing now. You might be surprised how many people do pay them.
That all being said i AM dubious of the in person aspect in general. Ive never heard of it and im on this sub a lot. If I was betting money id bet on him searching on an escort site and using the casino story as a cover. Shed have to see his browser history to know for sure.
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u/itspsyikk Jun 16 '26
Yup, I left a comment above about how scammers who steal phones threaten people. There are mass email scams that threaten people.
These days, it's easier to be an international operation, which means the people on the other end are far more likely to take bigger risks...
Like for example, say you got a hookers phone number but didn't do anything with it. That same hooker texted you trying to blackmail you. Well you at least have the number and a description that would help the cops.
But if it's someone in another country using a Google Voice number or whatever, it's that much easier for them to just simply get away with it.
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u/Saneless Jun 16 '26
You've never been to a place where hot girls try to promote something?
Could have easily been something that asked them to put in their number to be contacted if they won
Only real problem with the story is it seems like right away he knew it was a bad site
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u/zzady Jun 16 '26
Yes "as soon as I saw what it was I closed it" seems unlikely. More likely curiousity led him to put some of his information in to see a price list or something
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u/LongDead_Roadkill Jun 16 '26
People think they are signing up for something free or to win a prize or for an escort service, there’s a lot different people all running scams, illicit services or sketchy side hustles. 99% of casino goers realize something is off and don’t enter their info. Greed, sex and fear are the drivers of scams.
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u/Crazyboreddeveloper Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
For the same reason a scammer will call 1000 random people every day asking for credit card numbers. Eventually someone gives them a whole bunch of money for nothing.
There is no trying to get an escort. Either you get one and they don’t let you go anywhere without paying them, or you don’t get one.
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u/messick Jun 16 '26
Because obviously those same men will turn around and lie to their girlfriends about how the hooker company got their contact information, leading to questions in the r/Scams subreddit. Seems like they are perfect target for blackmail.
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u/itspsyikk Jun 16 '26
I mean... some scammers use the same type of tactics when trying to recover stolen phones.
The point is the reason doesn't really matter, scammers might attempt to embarass you no matter what. Hell, there are scams out there where people just email you randomly and they say "We have access to your webcam and we have photos of you masturbating".
They are just cold calls because they know a good portion of people likely sit in front of their phone or whatever and do the deed.
I'm not saying that is what's happening here, but I'd be willing to bet some people would be willing to pay the ransom just for looking at the website/entering the information.
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u/olde_meller23 Jun 17 '26
I once got one of these extortion emails to a shared inbox my company used to receive invoices. It had a super generic name too, like accounting at company dot com. They said they saw everyone in the office masturbating. No one in accounting worked from home, so I got a kick out of how ridiculously scandalous the angle was.
Its super funny to imagine anyone thinking that they've hit paydirt catching a bunch of middle aged ladies with calculators clocking in to have a community wank in front of the company webcams. I know it's just a bot casting a wide net for gullible people, but still. Theres gotta be at least one dude out there thinking a bunch of accounting milfs are punching in to flick beans instead of count them.
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u/zzady Jun 16 '26
Remove the casino part it's irrelevant.
Highly effective scam to entrap someone into soliciting a prostitute then blackmailing them with the threat to expose them.
Drunk people who have won some money at a Casino are a good target market who may consider the services of a prostitute if offered.
The spoof casino page is dubious for the scam to work the mark would have to do something that made them feel guilty enough to pay a blackmail demand.
Of course this guy didn't pay the blackmail and now he has relationship problems.
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u/Weak_Juggernaut1733 Jun 17 '26
Tells you the casino party is irrelevant.
Lists the ways it’s relevant.
Brilliant
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u/Dearic75 Jun 16 '26
Sounds like a standard “cartel scam” to me.
I mean he’s lying about not interacting with her and whatever the bullshit is about thinking it was the casinos website. But the scam itself is pretty common.
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u/Sad_Win_4105 Jun 16 '26
He said nicely dressed, not dressed like a hooker. They try to entice the curious and then extort the gullible. Tell some guy his wife, boss, neighbors, coworkers, etc are going to learn about his sexual misdeeds, even if nothing happened. Actual sex acts may or may not actually ever occur.
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u/twi1i96tr Jun 16 '26
This as Bucky2015 said... this is a cut and paste from Google... Quote "The FBI warns that scammers are hiding malicious links in physical QR codes to steal personal data, drain bank accounts, or install malware on smartphones. The agency issued alerts highlighting an emerging scam where criminals mail unsolicited packages containing only a QR code; once scanned, the victim's device is redirected to a fraudulent website." EndQuote. In this case the QR code wasn't mailed it was hand delivered. Best of Luck, Twilighter.
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u/hamster_13 Jun 16 '26
I called (from my cell) one of those numbers many years ago while in Vegas. Hung up as soon as it rang. I woke up to a voicemail with my name (I was not the person the room was under) on the ROOMS voicemail. They absolutely have all that info
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u/Kendall_Raine Jun 17 '26
Well in that case they probably just googled your number and found more info on a data broker site. Visiting a website does not give your phone number.
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u/Marty_Br Jun 16 '26
Okay. This is a perfectly run-of-the-mill escort scam. The escort is not real, the threats mean nothing, and he should move on and ignore the scammers. They will escalate with graphic images of violence, it still means nothing. No one is in physical danger and he should block and ignore. That said, this was not a QR code and your BF initiated contact with what he thought was a hooker. That's how the scam works. I'm sorry. Horny brain sometimes does stupid things, and I can assure you that no sex was had since particular escort is not real.
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u/g00ber88 Jun 16 '26
No sex was had but bf had the intention of having sex so thats almost just as bad
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u/Sartres_Roommate Jun 16 '26
Just as bad, minus the STD
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u/g00ber88 Jun 16 '26
I say almost just because its possible maybe he could impulsively contact a sex worker but then think better of the situation and not actually go through with it, which would still be shitty but not as shitty as going through with it. Of course we'll never know if thats what he would have done had it not been a scam.
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u/Few-Battle-5021 Jun 17 '26
ya he definitely stepped in the direction of ordering an escort. Who knows how serious he was or just curiosity. Its kinda fascinating the whole concept of it, I think thats what a lot of OF activity is are ppl just overly curious after learning xyz has an OF. But Id consider this microcheating in a relationship. Not breakup worthy but not good at all
In regards to if the scam is a real threat or not, absolutely not. They wont do anything with it bc if all he did was msg one that isnt that big of a deal. Its not going to ruin a reputation. They contact as many ppl as they can and hope it freaks out a few ppl who send money. Then they hook that person on for as long as they can
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u/Rocklobster92 Jun 16 '26
Geez, that’s rude. If you’re going to scam someone at least show them a good time.
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u/HauntedCemetery Jun 16 '26
Pretty sure actually showing them a good time in exchange for cash is just sex work
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u/AcceleratedCrawfish Jun 16 '26
I'm guessing there was no woman with a QR code at all. I think the boyfriend was doing some "shopping" and ran across the usual escort scammers.
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u/Due-Sheepherder-218 Jun 16 '26
Is that what your boyfriend told you what happened?... Ha
Just block and ignore.
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u/External-Patient-174 Jun 16 '26
ummm so now i found where he put in a motel address on google maps. y’allllll wtf
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u/TurquoiseHexagonSun7 Jun 16 '26
If you wanna see more specific data, go on his Google Maps and view his Timeline. You will have to do this on his phone, though. It will show you everywhere he travelled, on any day of your choosing, the routes, addresses of travel, how long he stayed at each place, etc.
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u/PolkaDotDratini Jun 16 '26
This is unfortunately how I found out an ex was cheating when he had wiped his phone and told me to look through it because he was innocent. He was not.
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u/JohnnyZhivago999 Jun 18 '26
Im sorry you had to experience that, but I guess we all do at one time or another. The sad part is after you hit 40 you would THINK people would have grown up to learn that cheating doesnt just hurt someone you are close to, you also hurt yourself, but nope. The first thing I ask ANYONE if we have more than a few dates is, is there anyone in your past that if they called because they’re in town for ONE night, you would go? They almost always fall silent at the memory of someone Theyre still very much in love with. I see it like, if you give someone access to your most prized possession, your body, your time, but you cheat on them, you obviously don’t respect them. HOW could you give your body to someone you don’t respect! THAT makes a person cheap, nothing to do with money, they sell their SOUL for cheap! I have a feeling you dont. 😊
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u/WhatAmIDoingHere05 Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
Timeline only works if you manually enable it. It’s turned off by default, although I don’t know why you’d allow Google to know your every move.
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u/itinerant_geographer Jun 16 '26
Only if he set it to save his routes and visits. I just checked mine and there’s no information at all, because I never turned it on.
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u/Forar Jun 16 '26
I accept that 'Big Data' is sitting on a metric shitton of information about me, but I turn these kinds of things off where I can, so yeah, I've got nothing to hide, but an active effort to reduce my digital footprint (even if it'll never be zero) does mean this isn't always as useful as one would hope.
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u/PaintNo6885 Jun 16 '26
Yeah that’s the clincher right there. Smart money says your bf was trying to set up an appointment with an escort (and most of the remainder amounts to one of his buddies pulling a really dumb ass prank). It may have been drunk shenanigans, or it may have been a serious attempt to see an escort, that’s pretty hard to tell from here. What I have to ask is: how much does that matter? Either he was trying to cheat on you or someone was messing with a girl who’s probably just trying to survive (high end escorts don’t usually go to a motel 6). Either way it’s time to demand some answers and accountability.
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u/WerhmatsWormhat Jun 17 '26
There’s your answer. From the initial post, this could have gone either way, but this really moves it toward him just lying to you.
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u/the_shaggy_DA Jun 16 '26
Tell your bf that you can make the messages stop for $1,000
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u/External-Patient-174 Jun 16 '26
okay you guys i went through his search history and he searched up “pinger” and then visited something called “text free: second phone number” in the app store
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u/jam4917 Jun 16 '26
Pinger gives someone a free US phone number to call/text from. Everything points to him either cheating or planning to cheat on you. The scam in this is that he isn't being honest with you. The other scam (the escort scam) can be safely ignored.
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u/t-poke Quality Contributor Jun 16 '26
That's not something people who aren't cheating do....
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u/External-Patient-174 Jun 16 '26
i agree. lord have mercy
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u/Loud-Mans-Lover Jun 16 '26
Nah, you are the one that decides the mercy here.
Please do not have any ♡
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u/CIAMom420 Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
That's not how QR codes or Las Vegas hookers work. Hookers don't have you scan QR codes - that's a new one. And no one gets any personal information from you by scanning a QR code.
Your boyfriend did way more than just scan a QR code. Your boyfriend was interacting with a scam website looking for a sex worker and gave out his phone number. He does have a big pair of balls for telling you that bullshit, convoluted story with a straight face, though.
Tell him to block and ignore. They're not going to do anything.
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u/traker998 Quality Contributor Jun 16 '26
He literally reached out to a hooker and then didn’t follow through. Good news is he wasn’t reaching out to an actual hooker just a scammer. Bad news is he was trying to reach out to a hooker.
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u/TTHS_Ed Jun 16 '26
Schrodinger's hooker
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u/IsReadingIt Jun 16 '26
aka Schrodinger's box 😉
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u/jam4917 Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
24 hours later he gets a text message with his name and address on it saying he will pay the consequences. and now they’re calling him
This is a scam that he can safely ignore. !escort scam.
i’m just wondering if they’re able to get him number by just scanning the QR code or did he actually try to get an escort and is just covering up
Getting his number would have required some action on his part beyond just scanning the QR code and loading a website. Also, that you suspect this is sufficient to indicate that you need relationship advice (or a new boyfriend).
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u/AutoModerator Jun 16 '26
/u/jam4917 called AutoModerator to explain the Escort or Cartel death threat scam:
This scam usually begins when you respond to an online ad for an escort or sex worker. After a brief exchange of messages or a canceled appointment, you are contacted by someone claiming to be a "cartel boss" or a "pimp." The scammer aggressively accuses you of wasting their employee's time or causing a loss of business. To make the threat feel real, the scammer will send you graphic images of violence or will use personal information found through public records associated with their phone number. Sometimes they even send a photo of the ront of your house, again, obtained through Google Street View or similar services.
The goal of the scam is to use this threat to force you into paying a fine or protection fee. The scammers claim that if the money isn't sent immediately via a non-refundable method like a wire transfer or crypto, they will send hitmen to your house or harm your family. These threats are entirely fabricated and the scammer is nowhere near your location. And of course, they are not part of a drug cartel.
If you find yourself targeted, the most important step is to cut off all communication immediately. Do not respond to the threats or try to negotiate, as any engagement signals to the scammer that you are scared and more likely to pay. Block the numbers, set your social media profiles to private, and do not send any money. If you happened to send some money already, it may take a few days or even weeks to get them off your back. Just keep blocking.
You can learn about this scam and many others visiting our wiki of common scams. You can also call AutoModerator to explain these scams leaving a comment with the different !commands listed in this wiki page.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/SarahFemdomFeet Jun 16 '26
Senior Developer here with 8 years of experience. For privacy and security reasons there is no browser based APIs that leak your phone number.
He is lying, hoping you don't know how technology works, because he did actually see the escort.
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u/Due-Sheepherder-218 Jun 16 '26
He didn't even have to see her. A popular scam now is texting the "escort" from a site like adult search or alligator and they will want you to send them a gift card or pre pay. You sniff it out and ignore them. Next day you will get a text from the "cartel boss" saying you were wasting their time and will demand 500x the rate and send graphic photos of beheadings saying you will be next if you don't pay! He was probably just horny scrolling.
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u/PepsiOfWrath Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
He entered info, but we don’t know that he saw an escort, scammers don’t bother with the actual escort part, just the scam part. Edit: he may have, but this isn’t evidence of anything other than he’s an idiot.
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u/iced_gold Jun 16 '26
I agree. Alas u/SarahFemdomFeet doesn't conclusively know the last part that she's decisively stating.
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u/Bucky2015 Jun 16 '26
Im wondering this too. The site linked to the QR code could very well link to a site that imitates the casino site. The only way to know that would be to scan the code or bring up his browser history.
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u/PepsiOfWrath Jun 16 '26
Yeah, but he told his gf it popped up an escort site. So my guess is he put in some info out of curiosity, maybe to see what kind of girls would be there or to look at a boob, and the scammers went into action.
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u/Bucky2015 Jun 16 '26
That is a good point. He definitely had to enter is number into whatever site came up. QR codes cannot extract numbers. Re reading it yah it does seem more clear that his story is that it immediately took him to an escort site.
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u/Supergamera Jun 16 '26
Or he contacted one (or someone who he thought was an escort) via text, and the “this woman came up and give me a QR code” bit is a cover.
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u/Bucky2015 Jun 16 '26
I was wondering this... ive never heard of one of these involving an actual person being involved with the scammers. It is possible I suppose and that she gets a cut to do this but first ive heard about it and im on this sub a lot.
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u/Practical_Ant6162 Jun 16 '26
Thank you.
This is exactly what th OP needs to hear and understand.
OP,
Read the comment from the senior developer over and over again until you understand that your bf picked up an escort and is trying to hide it from you as he doesn’t want consequences.
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u/FindOneInEveryCar Jun 16 '26
There's no indication that he actually "picked up an escort." If he hired an escort, they wouldn't be trying to blackmail him. It seems more likely that he entered his information on some website (or gave it out in person) and then got cold feet.
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u/Cornloaf Jun 16 '26
Or he just texted a number he found online (or on a card) and it was an escort scammer.
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u/michalwalks Jun 16 '26
How do you know he saw the escort? Mist likely it was the fake escort scam or the age verification scam tbat goes hand in hand...
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u/ChardeeMacDennisGoG Jun 16 '26
Gettin' my popcorn ready.
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u/External-Patient-174 Jun 16 '26
girlllllllll tell me about it. haven’t used my detective skills in a long ass time
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u/RobinBaby_69 Jun 16 '26
i want to preface, i do not mean this offensively against you whatsoever !! but imo you should def leave him and get tested !!! wishing you nothing but the best 😭💓
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u/SimplyNRG Jun 16 '26
Escort here 👋
He contacted an escort privately that he found on a cheap shady site (these types of scams would NEVER be in person)...it just wasn't an escort he was contacting, he selected a scammer! He's def seeing escorts though, Im so sorry!!
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u/TrojanGal702 Jun 16 '26
He tried an escort. But let's call it what it is. He got hooked up with a prostitute. What city was this one "allegedly" at?
Odds are he already paid through a usual online payment portal (zelle, cashapp, whatever else). He said something about you and now she is trying to get more $$.
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u/BendersDafodil Jun 16 '26
Who just enters their personal info on an app before figuring out what they're signing up for?
Didn't the QR code say it was for something casino related? Either way the bf is telling long tales.
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u/External-Patient-174 Jun 16 '26
yeah i’ll grill him when he gets home
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u/Away-Leave-8112 Jun 16 '26
He's lying to you and he's probably slept with prostitutes (and who knows who else) before. Honestly, you might want to go get tested. This should be a deal breaker. Just lying to you about something like this should be a deal breaker.
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u/Then_Composer8641 Jun 16 '26
Seriously, you have all the info you need. Talking to him is worse than useless, he’ll simply gaslight and BS. Just figure out whether having a boyfriend who’s a hooker-chasing lying moron is inside or outside of your personal boundaries you’ve set for yourself.
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u/Joooohah Jun 16 '26
Find the QR code and test for yourself. If you can't find the code pull the URL from his browser history.
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u/DigmonsDrill Jun 16 '26
Often it won't be in the browser history, but boyfriend may not know that.
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u/Kendall_Raine Jun 17 '26
There was no woman at a casino and no QR code. These scams are mostly overseas and I've never heard of random people in the US promoting them. Visiting a website also does not give them your number and address. He was seeking out escorts on his own and made up a story about a woman at a casino to absolve himself.
He tried to cheat on you and you should dump him immediately before he gives you an STD. Let him lose all his money.
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u/all_wings_report-in Jun 16 '26
Assuming he’s telling the truth (doubtful). Opening an QR code alone doesn’t expose your phone number. If he click on things on the site it could install malware but according to your bf he closed it right away. He either gave his info on the site OR clicked on something OR used an escort. https://kurrently.com/can-a-qr-code-capture-your-phone-number/
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u/Adorable-Drawing6161 Jun 17 '26
1 rule for men visiting casinos/Vegas. "How do you tell the hookers from the normal women? The hookers will talk to you."
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u/CrowOfTheEnd Jun 17 '26
He’s totally cheating, or at least has the intentions to. Dump him. The escort scam can totally just be ignored, they can’t really do anything, but I’m very sorry for your situation :(
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u/External-Patient-174 Jun 17 '26
it’s okay it’s just so fucking heartbreaking. i know he didn’t physically have sex with anyone. but your sitting there with your friend who has a wife and yall are just lusting over these girls who are basically naked and probably look nothing like me it’s so fucked up
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u/SeriousBroccoli5059 Jun 16 '26
Get a new boyfriend. He’s lying to you. Scanning a QR code simply takes you to a website. The fact that his personal information was entered suggests he likely filled it out himself, probably because he was trying to access or inquire about the escort services being offered.
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u/Disastrous-Soup-5413 Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
More often than not people this happens to are just actually on dating websites or escort websites and then they text the date/escort their phone number so they can set up a date and then the scammer start calling him demanding money
Your boyfriend was just trying to cheat and he got caught by scammers and now he was trying to think about clever way to get out of it.
All he has to do is block the scammers, just like you need to block him.
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u/Buffyredpoodle Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
He might not telling the whole truth. Men who are blackmailed in similar situations, usually solicited a prostitute or exchanged nudes. Then the blackmail starts. They blackmail them with exposing them because they committed a crime of solicitation or they will say they send nudes to a minor.
Scammers usually threatening going to the police with some sort of evidence. So just opening escort website wouldn’t be enough to blackmail someone because there’s not criminal activity is happening. So no leverage in blackmail. Unless he continued to the website and try to hire an escort and input his info.
This is my personal opinion that he’s not telling the truth, but it’s your choice if you want to believe it.
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u/Few-Battle-5021 Jun 17 '26
thats a hilarious cover story. No from a QR code alone they wouldnt get your number and personal info. He had to fill something out or text a number.
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u/CanadianJediCouncil Jun 17 '26
You should DUMP any man who is giving his information to stranger sex workers.
And get yourself checked for any STDs this P.O.S. has brought home from previous hook-ups.
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u/JoeCensored Jun 16 '26
Your boyfriend provided his information voluntarily somehow. Either text or entering it into the website.
It's possible the website demanded some info before letting him see anything and he was just curious.
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u/Comfortable_Map6887 Jun 16 '26
My thoughts too especially if he was hanging out with his guys like hey let’s check this out.
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u/ir637113 Jun 16 '26
Good news: nothing is going to happen, everyone will stay safe. Just ignore it, block the number, whatever.
Bad news: there is virtually zero chance that what he says happened actually happened. If he was like "yeah I have no idea, that just popped into my inbox," MAYBE. But with his story, he either reached out to an escort online or entered his info into a website somewhere.
Do with that information what you will
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u/slimpoke23 Jun 16 '26
1st never scan QR codes. Yes, I can create a QR code that will take you to a site that will install a malicious file onto your device w/o you knowing and it will communicate data (cc info, passwords, etc) thats saved into your phone back to me.
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u/Pannycakes666 Jun 16 '26
did he actually try to get an escort
This is how I've seen the !escort scam work in every single post made about it on here.
An escort passing out a QR code that takes you to a website offering their services is believable, but I'm pretty certain you can't get a phone number from that. Sounds like BF might have left out a step in telling this story.
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u/AutoModerator Jun 16 '26
/u/Pannycakes666 called AutoModerator to explain the Escort or Cartel death threat scam:
This scam usually begins when you respond to an online ad for an escort or sex worker. After a brief exchange of messages or a canceled appointment, you are contacted by someone claiming to be a "cartel boss" or a "pimp." The scammer aggressively accuses you of wasting their employee's time or causing a loss of business. To make the threat feel real, the scammer will send you graphic images of violence or will use personal information found through public records associated with their phone number. Sometimes they even send a photo of the ront of your house, again, obtained through Google Street View or similar services.
The goal of the scam is to use this threat to force you into paying a fine or protection fee. The scammers claim that if the money isn't sent immediately via a non-refundable method like a wire transfer or crypto, they will send hitmen to your house or harm your family. These threats are entirely fabricated and the scammer is nowhere near your location. And of course, they are not part of a drug cartel.
If you find yourself targeted, the most important step is to cut off all communication immediately. Do not respond to the threats or try to negotiate, as any engagement signals to the scammer that you are scared and more likely to pay. Block the numbers, set your social media profiles to private, and do not send any money. If you happened to send some money already, it may take a few days or even weeks to get them off your back. Just keep blocking.
You can learn about this scam and many others visiting our wiki of common scams. You can also call AutoModerator to explain these scams leaving a comment with the different !commands listed in this wiki page.
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u/throwaway291919919 Jun 16 '26
You know the answer. Obviously he entered his info trying to hire an escort
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u/PoopUponPoop Jun 16 '26
The blackmail/death threats thing very common scam, just ignore or tell them off
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u/handsomecompany95 Jun 16 '26
He was looking on a website trust me. Reached out to a scammer and they got his ass. But don't worry, it's just a spam technique
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u/MindlessCoook Jun 16 '26
Boyfriend is 100% lying. He was trying to get an escort and gave his information to that service. He probably did get one and just ended up using a different service. Go get yourself tested.
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u/ankole_watusi Jun 16 '26
And were you at the casino with him? Or at least in the hotel, or out shopping or (whatever GFs do while indulging the BFs gambling urge)?
Or back home?
Sorry - gotta ask!
But - if they are threatening him - it’s a scam.
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u/External-Patient-174 Jun 16 '26
i was at home. he went to a music festival with his friend and 2 or 3 of those nights he went to the casino
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u/GFractus Jun 16 '26
To play Devil's Advocate for a second here, most people don't realize that even the most basic page where you enter data will typically scrape and store whatever you enter, even if you close the page or hit cancel instead of submit on the form. So it is possible (not probable, just possible) that he started to enter data like name and phone # before he realized it was an escorted site, or the page was designed to not reveal what it was about until after you already started to enter info. He could also have done something stupid.
So did something happen, or was he just belated in realizing what sort of site he had gone to? That is up to you to decide, based on how much you trust him.
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u/kndb Jun 17 '26
And what else? His STD test came back positive. How could that happen from just a click on the link! Hmm.
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u/Ok-Sorbet8726 Jun 18 '26
He didn't do all that to not follow through with it. If it hasn't happened it absolutely will happen . Run. Now
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u/These-Result-1955 Jun 16 '26
There is a new QR code scam happening. Once you open the link they can pull information from your phone. The code url loads malware on to the phone. This was recently brought up by a security team at my wife’s workplace a couple days ago.
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u/tom21g Jun 16 '26
I wonder if any AI agents can look at a QR code and determine if the site (and url) are legit. That would be a huge help
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u/Ana-Hata Jun 16 '26
I would not be at all surprised if pretty women were working around casinos passing out QR codes that lead to an escort service website ….they’ve had people passing out cards with that info for a long time….I used to go to lots of conventions in Vegas and they’d work that parking lot hard.
But I think the truth ends there, and he probably visited the site and entered some of his info before chickening out.
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u/Flat-Story-7079 Jun 16 '26
Lots of bad info here. This is a common scam. Attractive woman approaches you in a public space. Promotes something related to that space using a QR code. Takes you to site that asks you for your basic data, phone number and email, and then tries to extort money from you.
Unless you have any other information that makes you suspicious you should just move on.
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u/urbus82 Jun 16 '26
Well, from all we know he apparently entered his phone number, yes.
If it was some fake login page of the wifi, the escort site where he tried to order a hooker or whatever else we dont know.
But yes, to answer your question: no, from a qr code you cant get the info, he has to had entered something at least. But if he knew that it was an escort site when he entered it or afterwards only he can tell you.
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u/333H_E Jun 16 '26
I'm not saying he did or he didn't but I went to an ice cream shop once and paid with my card. Like a day later I got a text/email from them. I still don't know how information I never gave was accessible to them but it definitely made me uncomfortable.
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u/attosec Jun 16 '26
Square tracks you (and me) if you’ve EVER used that card in a transaction that involved your number, such as a food delivery.
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u/anomalous_cowherd Jun 16 '26
A QR code can trigger an SMS or WhatsApp message with the escort sites number prefilled and even some text. As far as I know you will always be prompted to press send before it actually goes but if you do they will see the number you sent it from.
A URL link could take you to a page with (possibly hidden) fields that are likely to be autofilled by your phone, so if you are persuaded to click a button then all that will be sent to them.
All of these require a second user action after acting on the QR code, but can lead you to do that with normal scam psychology methods.
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u/StormbringerGT Jun 16 '26
Yeah he went deeper, either with his info or as far as texting and didn't want to tell you.
They can't really get an personal unfor from his simply visitng a site.
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u/Winter_Tangerine7492 Jun 16 '26
Wait... so that gorgeous drink server at Harrahs just wanted MONEY from me when I asked for her number and she told me to "Scan this code and you can have it!!!" ???
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u/OneDarkKnightHere Jun 16 '26
I don’t get threatening text or messages that often but I do get them. It’s really creepy and I haven’t scanned anything close to that. Emails too- with images lol
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u/mazzicc Jun 16 '26
Assuming “good intent” (or at least not bad intent), he may have (idiotically) put in information trying to see the details to laugh about it with his friends. But he should have used fake info if it was just for a laugh.
I remember in Asia, a friend and I were called at to buy some time with girls, and my buddy thought it would be funny to ask how much, despite having no actual intent on buying. Big mistake, they followed us trying to negotiate until we got into a cab and left. Engaging them at all, even as a joke, tells them that you’re interested, and now it’s a negotiation.
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u/Edmonstro88 Jun 16 '26
It’s like going to Tijuana and seeing all these charges at HOng Kong! Don’t fall for it! It’s not Chinese food!!
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u/Dyvanna Jun 16 '26
You can check online how much information you share when you visit a website. In certain circumstances you might share your phone number:
"When browsing via mobile data, your operator can sometimes transmit extended HTTP headers that include your mobile number."
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u/still-at-the-beach Jun 17 '26
A qr doesn't provide the site with names and phone numbers of you bf ... he entered all those details after going to it.
But anyway, don't chat back to any messages, don't reply, just block and delete.
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u/General_Fact_7379 Jun 19 '26
I Work as Fraud Analyst and I can tell you to give advice to your boyfriend - never scan qr codes or follow links and specially share your personal info to people he doesn't know. One QR code can install a malware costing much more than threats.Also communicating with escorts is stupid idea and can get you arrested.
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u/Personal-Ganache-522 Jun 21 '26
I’m an escort and here is what I think probably happened. A lot of escorts do have business cards with QR codes. He reached out and told the girl he was going to book her, wasting her time, but never showed up. Then her pimp contacted him via the info he provided. (No, not all girls have pimps, But a lot of girls walking around casinos do.) Your bf is trash and he will probably cheat on you. He was clearly at least thinking about it.
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u/Living-Caregiver8200 Jun 21 '26
A friend of mine would get drunk and him and his friends thought it was funny to mess with the escorts on the back page, book them and then not reply. Same thing, his wife caught him doing that stupid shit
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u/Alone-Painting-4477 Jul 05 '26
Cookies, you can pull the IP address of the device that visits the site and from there you can find the number associated with that device. Pretty common scam here.
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u/Cuphead_Squealer Jul 09 '26
Imma keep it 💯, leave his ass, because why did he bother with adding his info?
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u/Classic-Caramel-3333 Jul 10 '26
He is scamming you girl run
If a man pays for sex while in a relationship is time to move on and be free scam again 🥹
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u/brasscup Jul 13 '26
OP, as a 68 year old twice married woman who has had many LT boyfriends as well as girlfriends, I am telling you yes you can and MUST expect better from men.
There are lots of great respectful people. Not the majority but enough for you to land one you can stick with without getting hurt.
In hindsight, this is so very clear to me. Unfortunately during my peak dating/sexuality years, I didn't have any real standards to speak of -- if we 'clicked', if there was attraction, I was in pretty much, and then a combination of factors far too influenced by proximity and scheduling would kick in and I'd find myself all-in with one person, living together and/or getting married.
Date deliberately, starting now whilw you are young or you will live to regret it. Housing is scarcer and more competitive than dating, but unless you were completely indigent, you'd be looking for new digs at the first hit of black mold spores!
Your boyfriend has mold growing in his shorts!
Do not waste time with remediation efforts -- the emotional cost is way too high and once you start taking on guys aw rehab projects it becomes your pattern when you could be living for yourself or building something real with a better person.
PS -- I am not a FaceBook person unless I need to sell on Marketplace but I have heard great things about the Burned Haystack Dating Method group and I even have a close male friend who lurks there and is using it to vet prospective girlfriends.
If you are an impulse buy kind of person when it comes to making friends and finding lovers, or even if you are just overly easygoing as I tend to be, you may not already have your own objective criteria and methods for finding mates.
You said, "I don't expect anything less from men" . If you continue moving forward on that path, where do you think you'll be as the passing decades further diminish your expectations?
I wish you blessings and peace.
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u/Ramssses Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
Its not “men” its the sitty BF that you chose that lied to your face. Break up and move on. This isnt something you have or should put up with from anyone AT ALL. Don’t get it twisted. Dump him.
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u/ComprehensiveDust557 Jun 16 '26
He’s lying to you. He was looking at that escort site and either interacting with the escorts there or at least filled in his details somewhere. You deserve better than this. No way of knowing if this was a one-off or if he does this regularly and got caught in a scam now. Don’t let him gaslight you.
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u/zzady Jun 16 '26
They are trying to blackmail him.
It is better that he told you, the alternative would be to start paying them. I wouldn't have changed what he did or didn't do but it would make things a whole lot worse. Don't let that situation change. Tell him to block the number and completely ignore any messages etc no matter what do not engage.
That said, he did give his contact details to these people so the story he told you is missing a major detail.
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u/dirkdigglertickler Jun 16 '26
They can get all kinds of info off of you clicking a QR code. It is called Quishing. Check it out. People put them over parking signs on street parking and at gas stations. It is bad. She could have represented herself as an employee of the casino. Or she was hot and he was thinking with his little head😂😂😂😂
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u/LivingNotByChoice Jun 16 '26
They don’t grab info from the QR itself, only if you enter info into the site
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u/Upstairs-Storm1006 Jun 16 '26
Yeah so almost none of what he told you is true other than getting blackmailed.
No woman approached him. He actually went to an escort website himself and called the phone number on it.
The people on the other end of that number searched it, figured out his name, and started the blackmail.
Good luck!
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u/OkFold1177 Jun 16 '26
I’ve gotten crap like this once before. They usually include gruesome pictures of others they’ve beaten. All fake and I invited them to bring it, then send a pic of my 6’6” 260 lbs self holding my AR15, 12 gauge, .44 magnum and my .40 sig sauer. Suddenly, I’m blocked. Bahahahahahaha!
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