Difficulty in protecting yourself from falling victim to Tinder Swindler psychopaths

CAPE TOWN - The global hit Netflix documentary Tinder Swindler has sparked massive debate and interest around the lies and swindling of Simon Leviev, with many commenting that “the women should have known better”.

However, psychiatrist Professor Renata Schoeman, Head of the MBA Health Care Leadership programme at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB), says it is not as straightforward as assuming the women were merely gullible.

The exploitative tactics used by Leviev, real name Shimon Hayut, to identify vulnerable targets and his predatory drive for domination, financial extortion and deceit, indicates psychopathic behaviour, Schoeman said.

“It’s enormously difficult to catch a psychopath in the act. They are pathological liars and purposefully deceive people to conceal their modus operandi. They strategically plan their deceitful stories and use their superficial charm to get one addicted, leaving you doubting your valid suspicions and ending up as the victim.”

Schoeman points out that psychopaths are ruthless when pursuing something that they want.

“Their behaviour involves extreme egocentricity, severe lack of empathy for the feelings of others and a willingness to engage in immoral behaviour for short-term gains, exploiting others while doing so.

“Many will claim that something similar could never happen to them, yet cases such as these are not as uncommon as we think. Psychopathic behaviour is also not only reserved for romantic encounters; psychopaths stalk office corridors too, with lasting mental health impacts on their victims.

“The manipulation, deception, inflated self-opinion and back-stabbing of the corporate psychopath can cause work-related depression, anxiety disorders, burnout and physical illnesses; conditions which cost the South African economy more than R40-billion annually,” Schoeman said.

“Psychopaths tend to have a higher IQ and are more conscientious than those with a criminal record. They are less impulsive, negligent and irresponsible, and are really good at covering their tracks,” she said.

In what she calls “the curse of confidence”, Schoeman added that many of the characteristics of psychopaths – such as charm, fearless dominance, boldness and a “grandiose sense of self” – are also traits that help people get ahead in business and in life.

“Successful psychopaths have the ability to very tactically assess the psychological strengths and weaknesses of those around them, manipulate others to bond with them by feeding them with carefully crafted messages, using their victims’ feedback to build and maintain control, and then abandoning them when they are no longer useful.

“They are extremely efficient at using and manipulating communication networks to enhance their own reputation, creating and maintaining conflicts and rivalries amongst acquaintances or colleagues, and creating a sense of trust with those they encounter. They are excellent at spreading disinformation while covering up their own association with this false information,” she said.

Cape Times