Student Uses Snapchat Gender Swap Filter To Catch Paedophile On Tinder

You’d have to be living under a rock if you haven’t already seen multiple photos and videos on social media transforming people into the opposite gender that look so real, you have to second guess every selfie they post.

It basically turns you into the masculine or feminine physical version of yourself that you never knew you had in you.

I bet most of you have even used it to prank your friends and family around you that you’re suddenly a different gender after getting surgery.

In the past, your parents and teachers would always tell you not to trust any strangers on the Internet, for that sweet 13-year-old friend of yours who also loves My Little Pony might just be a 42-year-old greasy man living in his mother’s basement in real life.

Of course, we scoffed, for it’s the era of the new Internet where things can be tracked so easily and we’re not that stupid to get scammed.

But with the advancement of technology, things like this filter exists. It’s bizarre how real that filter actually looks, though – you may be able to lie about your gender on the Internet that easily now with just a simple selfie.

While it’s mostly all fun and games, one unexpected hero used this filter not just to trick others on the Internet, but also to work towards a noble cause.

Meet “Esther”

Ethan, a 20-year-old college student in the San Francisco Bay Area, got motivated by a story of a female friend of his, who had been molested when she was a child. His mission? Identify possible paedophiles.

He took a selfie using the famed gender swap filter and created a fake Tinder profile for his new fake persona, going by the name “Esther”, who was a 16-year-old underaged girl.

Looks like Esther’s beautiful face left a few men mesmerised, for someone messaged Esther to ask “Are you down to have some fun tonight?”

Ethan then decided to go along with it, and even further clarified with the man that Esther was actually only 16 years old, asking if it was an issue to him. However, the man said that he was fine with it.

The conversation continued through text for 12 hours, where the messages became more and more explicit, explained Ethan. The man had completely fallen for his fake Snapchat filter ruse.

Once Ethan felt he got enough evidence of the man being a raging paedophile, he screenshot-ed all the messages and turned it in to Crime Stoppers. After investigation, they found out the identity of the man.

Guess what – he’s actually a cop, of all things. YIKES.

Bad Policeman

Robert Davies, a police officer in San Mateo, was the paedophile in question. He’d even been commended for police leadership.

Not Meet The Eye

This only further goes to show that not everything you see may be what you get – there may be more than meets the eye to a person, no matter how good they may seem.

The San Jose police have arrested him and he’s also been put on paid administrative leave in suspicion of discussing sexual activity with a minor on social media. He’s facing charges for contacting a minor to commit a felony too.

“I was just looking to get someone. He just happened to be a cop,” Ethan explained, saying that he doesn’t plan on doing this again. Well, what a good catch on his first attempt indeed – we can’t just let paedophiles become policemen worthy of protecting the people, right?

San Mateo police Chief Susan Manheimer also released a statement about the incident and said: “This alleged conduct, if true, is in no way a reflection of all that we stand for as a Department, and is an affront to the tenets of our department and our profession as a whole. As San Mateo police officers, we have sworn an oath to serve and protect our communities. I can assure you that we remain steadfast to this commitment to serving our community with “Professionalism, Integrity, and Excellence.”

Oh well, it’s great that the filter helped in nabbing potential paedophiles lurking around, although there are probably way more out there.

One simple way not to get caught unawares by a gender-swapped selca and getting into trouble for it? Don’t be like that man.