This is just plain wrong and I've seen countless ways where it has been deployed over my life.
One example is in a group of friends, the lighter skinned women will generally get preferential treatment from the men present, women know where they fall in the hierarchy of their friend groups and more importantly, why they do. Men also recognize this, at least in the experiences I've had with my male friends.
One thing brothers would do is target darker skinned women who's friend groups resemble what I've described above, single them out and show them an inordinate amount of attention, a level beyond what they'd ordinarily get and those women were waaaaay easier to smash.
Many brothers understand the dynamics of colorism and some even know how to exploit them for their own gain, it's literally why "you're pretty for a dark skin girl" is used as a compliment by many brothers in spite of it being demeaning and insulting.