NOVEMBER 21, 2019 |
NEWS | QSALTLAKE MAGAZINE | 11
ISSUE 306 | Qsaltlake.com
Grindr/Scruff scam targets gay men in Salt Lake City
Project Rainbow places 283 flags ahead of Transgender Day of Remembrance Project Rainbow, the group who places LGBTQ-related flags through the year across the state of Utah to raise funds for local charities, placed 283 transgender flags at Salt Lake City Hall — one for each transgender person known to have lost their lives to transphobic violence in the past year. Transgender Day of Rememberance happens each November 20 across the world to memorialize those lost. This year, Utah’s TDOR, sponsored by TEA of Utah and the Utah Pride Center, will be held at the Utah State Capitol Building. It will also be live streamed via Facebook by Equality Utah.
Many people know some of the dangers when using Grindr, Scruff, and similar apps as we hear stories of men being attacked or robbed. But the apps are now being used to extort money. A Utah man called QSaltLake Magazine looking for a resource to help him after he received a threatening call demanding money. The man had chatted with a user on Scruff who was purportedly 21 years of age, according to his profile. The two exchanged messages and photos on the app, and took their conversation to text messages, but did not meet. The next morning, someone claiming to be the father of the person he was chatting with called the man and told him that he was actually chatting with his 15-year-old son. Further, he said his son attempted suicide after the interactions and demanded $2,200 for the hospital bills. He said he would go to the
police and tell them he was exchanging sexual images and messages with a minor if he did not pay. When the Utah man called QSaltLake, he was told to call Chris Wharton of Wharton O’Brien PLLC, who specializes in legal issues in the LGBTQ community. Wharton explained to him that this was a scam being seen across the country. He told him to block the profile on the Scruff app, block the phone number that the man had called from, and completely disengage from the conversation. Some victims of these scams are being approached in person with demands for payment. Anyone in this situation should call an attorney. Any further contact with the scammer should be referred to the attorney and under no circumstance should the scammers be given any money. Q
from 6-9 p.m. The Red Party 2019 will be a ‘RED’iculous fundraising event where UAF encourages guests to have fun, let loose and celebrate unity. Like the name, UAF wants to encourage our guests to wear red. Be creative. Be brave. Be fun! It’s an evening of hors d’oeuvres, music, dancing, a silent auction and entertainment.
UofU campus, once again brings its annual Day With(out) Art ’19: Together, Healthy, Proud event on Wed., Dec. 4. The evening includes making textile art — inspired by the AIDS Quilt — experimental live music by It foot, It ears, guided gallery exploration, resource tables, refreshments, and more. The museum will conceal Viola Frey’s Ethnic Man (1991) to recognize Day With(out) Art among over 800 participating art organizations.
Attorneys who work with the LGBTQ community can be found at qpages.com/ cat/attorneys/.
World AIDS Day events in Utah The theme for the 2019 national observance World AIDS Day is “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Community by Community”. World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988. Each year, organizations and individuals across the world bring attention to the HIV epidemic, endeavor to increase HIV awareness and knowledge, speak out against HIV stigma, and call for an increased response to move toward ending the HIV epidemic. Here in Utah, this year’s theme for World AIDS Day recognizes the vital role of communities in supporting and educating at a local level, helping to deliver services at
a regional level and raising awareness at a global level. For the research that investigates how to harness community power to reduce transmission of HIV and improve the well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS, visit the ISRCTN registry at isrctn.com
RED PARTY The Utah AIDS Foundation, in partnership with University of Utah Health, brings the annual Red Party that raises thousands of dollars each year for AIDS research and hospice. This year, on Thursday, Dec. 5, the Red Party will be held at Jaden Event Center at Trolley Square in downtown Salt Lake City
Info at bit.ly/uafredparty2019
DAY WITH(OUT) ART Also in recognition or World AIDS Day, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, located on the
Info at umfa.utah.edu/node/492
