The Tinder Swindler is a must-watch. For entertainment, sure. For education? Absolutely. The 2-hour Netflix documentary detailing the life of convicted fraudster Simon Leviev is a devastating lesson in why never to take a loan out for a man – nor trust one ever, right? Just me?
Of course, it’s easy to say that as a viewer. Watching the show knowing the context, the red flags appear to pop up every 10 seconds. You’re screaming at the screen ‘NO, NOT ANOTHER SHORT-TERM LOAN’ desperate for the merciless defrauding to end before these women lose everything.
That’s probably why some people have chosen to blame the women involved for falling foul of the Tinder Swindler, rather than, you know, the man clearly described as a ‘sophisticated, career fraudster’ – because to viewers watching a show that is framed as a conman expose, it seems like a clear-cut case, a fable told to warn others to stay vigilant.
But that’s the thing, vigilance does nothing when someone is that good at hoodwinking. You might find naivety with one woman’s story, but when you see the sheer amount of people that have fallen for the Tinder Swindler’s scam, you can only conclude that he is a master manipulator.
For one, who would ever assume a poor man would spin a web of lies so drastically as to hire private planes he couldn’t afford just to swindle you? To have his friend beaten to prove he was in danger? To fly to a new destination every day just to keep you guessing? To know this was a scam was to be beyond vigilant, more like paranoid and narcissistic.
Perhaps that’s why Ayleen Charlotte has been so well-received by viewers. Because, in a sea of scammed women living in disbelief that the man they love could lie like this, she just wants revenge. After an hour of feeling shock and betrayal on behalf of these victims, her small attempt at retribution was a much-needed story arc to satisfy viewers.
‘He always told me keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer… that’s when I get my idea: I was going to swindle the Tinder Swindler.’
It was the quote that launched a thousand cheers. And they just kept coming. As Ayleen described how she convinced Simon she believed his lies - all the while encouraging him to send her his designer items so she could sell them online and keep the funds for herself - every quote she gave had viewers beaming at the screen.
‘As I’m watching this pathetic man crying for not getting his plastic surgery, I thought “If you weren’t such a piece of shit I would’ve felt sorry for you”’ she recalls. Reading out his love letter to her, she laughs ‘just a piece of shit’ before viewers are treated to a montage of her selling all of his clothes. ‘The prince of diamonds to this “homeless king”, cry me a river,’ she smirks once more.
He never believed that I was capable of doing this, he knows now.
Finally, my favourite line? ‘He never believed that I was capable of doing this, he knows now. Hi Simon!’
Honestly, it was the mic drop moment needed to save every ounce of anger. Anger, not only at the number of claims against Simon – which, we should say, he denies any criminal wrongdoing for – but at the fact he was only investigated and prosecuted for his fake passport charge in Israel. After five months in prison he’s still on Instagram, still out living his best life – if it wasn’t for the joy on Ayleen’s face when she got him arrested, I wouldn’t be able to sleep thinking about it.
Thankfully, we have Queen Ayleen to worship in the absence of a criminal investigation. The woman quickly amassing countless fans for her quick thinking and mastermind reaction to finding out about Simon online, she has inspired many a sharable meme.
Honestly, all hail The Tinder Swindler Swindler: Ayleen Charlotte. You are our inspiration, our guiding light, our superhero.
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