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Three Women Used Social Media To Trick ISIS Into Giving Them Money

by Sean Levinson

A trio from Chechnya allegedly scammed recruiters for the Islamic State into giving them thousands of dollars after falsely promising to join the militant group.

The three women created social media profiles professing their dedication to Islam, Daily Mail reports, and were eventually asked by members of the Islamic State to come to Syria.

The women pretended to be interested and even sent the militants pictures to maintain their online relationships, according to Yahoo! Travel.

The only problem, they reportedly told the militants, was they couldn't afford plane fares.

Militants would wire them money, the women would cash it and then delete their social media accounts, reports RT News.

Approximately $3,300 is reported to have been wired before their scheme was uncovered by Chechen police tracking militant Internet activity throughout the predominantly-Muslim Russian republic.

One of the women claims to have been wired money by three different men, each of whom responded to a different social media profile.

When she told one recruiter she didn't have enough money for "decent clothes, not to mention a plane ticket," a screenshot from a social media conversation shows his response saying,

I will help you as much as I can, sister, just like any other brother would.

It has been reported at least one of the women was actually debating going to Syria, where the Islamic State's headquarters are located, but thought better of it.

She allegedly told LifeNews,

Many people I know did go, but I know no one for whom it turned out well.

While initial reports said the three women had been arrested and could face up to six years in prison, it now appears the charges will most likely be dropped as no one from the other side of the scheme has come forward, a spokesman said.

There has even been public commentary saying the girls should be commended for stealing from a terrorist organization.

Citations: Russian women dupe ISIS fighters into sending over money after creating fake profiles and pretending they wanted to become their jihadi brides in Syria (Daily Mail), Chechen girls swindle ISIS fighters for travel money (RT), Girls Scam ISIS on Social Media for Travel Money (Yahoo! News)