Chatters Aren't Always Better at Extracting Money From Subscribers

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Around the world there is a vast pool of workers willing to have those conversations, often for wages lower than what americans make flipping burgers. Many western companies rely on out source labor in the philippines for customers service and data entry. More than sexual gratification, he said, many of the guys just want someone to talk to.

Ezra Marcus takes a deep dive into the world of OnlyFans and self-described e-pimps, and untangles the vast web of models, agencies and “chatters” (the people who often act as the OnlyFans models in private messages with the customers) that support these lucrative businesses.

The article explores how e-pimps can help turn a seemingly simple exchange of “dollars for sexts” into a transaction that extends across layers of third-party intermediaries.

With the help of e-pimps, even the most impersonal of transactions are fine-tuned to feel personal. As Mr. Marcus discovers: “That OnlyFans creator you’re DMing? It’s probably a marketing ghostwriter impersonating a woman.”

When it comes to OnlyFans and its legions of e-pimps, deceit and desire work together closely.

This story was written by Ezra Marcus and recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.