This Genius College Student Used Tinder to Make Easy Money

For some people, Tinder is a money-pit. In between trips to fancy restaurants and myriad rounds of liquid courage, navigating the dating scene can put a dent in your wallet, let alone your heart. But one enterprising young lady has figured out how to monetize the Tinder game, in a stroke of genius that would make Joanne The Scammer blush.

Maggie Archer, a 20-year-old college student from St. Louis, has made a racket out of the dating-platform by asking men to send her $5 to “see what happens.” Men, in all of their brazen foolishness, have followed suit, wiring her little installments over PayPal. From there, it’s quickly evident that Archer’s scheme is a ruse, because she unmatches whatever dude is dumb enough to send her money, and never speaks to them again.

Archer told Buzzfeed News that “a surprising number of men take the bait,” which actually isn’t surprising, if you’ve ever been friends with a gullible man in the midst of a Tinder rampage. In light of her success -- she apparently had around 20 guys send her small increments of cash in one week -- Archer’s become something of an icon on Twitter:

She's even inspired a copy-cat: 

Unfortunately, the jig hasn’t lasted long. Archer’s clever little scam is a clear violation of Tinder’s terms of service -- so she’s been removed the app. Still, the young woman deserves plaudits for getting the most out of Tinder. After all, it isn’t everyday that you get to swipe your way into a profit.  

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Sam Blum is a News Staff Writer for Thrillist. He's also a martial arts and music nerd who appreciates a fine sandwich and cute dogs. Find his clips in The Guardian, Rolling Stone, The A.V. Club and Vice. He's on Twitter @Blumnessmonster.