ISIS fighter
Islamic State militants have demolished a monastery in the central Syrian province of Homs, a monitor said Thursday. Reuters

Ingenious ruse or death-defying stunt? Three Chechen women reportedly bilked Islamic State group recruiters out of thousands of dollars, RT News reported. And, according to the site, it wasn't the first time it's been done.

The militant group, which is also known as ISIS or ISIL, has been using social media to recruit foreigners to join its cause -- and with some success. At least 12 Australian women attempted to join ISIS and both Britain and the U.S. have struggled to stop recruitment. In fact, it's believed that about 4,000 Westerns have joined the group.

The group reportedly tries to lure potential recruits with gifts and travel money. So the Chechen women tried to make those offers work to their advantage, RT News reported. The women would meet recruiters and feign interest in joining ISIS in Syria. However, once they received money from ISIS, the women would shut down their social media profiles and sever their ties to the group. Others reportedly have done this as well -- including some men with "catfishing" profiles.

The women reportedly received $3,300 before being picked up by Chechen police who were monitoring online activities. Police said that while the women were able to game the recruiters it’s not a good idea to communicate with "dangerous criminals" for quick cash.

Financial benefits are believed to be one reason why recruits join the group. Many come from slums and poor villages where education and other opportunities are rare, a senior U.S. State Department adviser said. Children as young as 13 have been known to be accepted as fighters, the United Nations reports.

ISIS has an annual budget of nearly $2 billion, CNN reported, with the money used for marketing and recruitment videos showing attractive men and extolling the virtues of the fight.

Researchers at Arizona State University have been trying to understand how the group uses social media for recruitment. The research examines the targeted demographic groups as well as the framing and rhetoric of the recruitment messages. In addition to financial opportunities, researchers note that ISIS also offer recruits a sense of belonging.

But apparently, some are satisfied with just the gifts and the cash.