Two decades ago, online dating didn\’t exist, and ten years ago, those who participated in online dating were considered \»weird.\»
Five years ago, people saw online dating as a new and exciting venture, and today, it is seen as a normal and valid way of meeting others. In most cases, if you are looking for a partner online, you will eventually find one. In fact, I personally know several people who have had success with online dating.
However, I also know how quickly scammers move, and by the time a technology is seen as \»normal,\» such as online dating, scammers have already found a way to take advantage of it. As online dating gets more popular and acceptable, scammers are coming up with more ways to perfect their work and take advantage of those looking for love.
I recently made an account with a certain social network simply to claim my name. Almost immediately, I was contacted by a woman who said she liked my profile, even though it was not completely set up. I responded with a simple \»Thanks,\» and then she started messaging over and over. Her spelling was terrible; she capitalized randomly in all of the sentences and overused her commas. The spacing of the words was also noticeably weird.
From my personal experience with overseas scammers, I realized quickly that she didn\’t really like my profile, and that \»she\» was actually a \»he\» from Ghana. Since I am always interested in the methods scammers use, I kept going with the messages.
After only two days, \»she\» was talking about love and marriage, and two days later, she was sending me messages about how desperate she was to meet me in person.
On day seven, she asked me to send her money for airfare, but I politely declined.
Don\’t let this happen to you. When signing up for an online dating or social networking site, make sure that it is a known site and get referrals from friends who have used it before. Make sure to design your profile carefully, and never post any personal information including your phone number, address or full name.
Recognizing a Scam Artist When Dating Online
There are a number of ways to recognize a scam artist when you start online dating. Here are a few of the signs:
- They ask you to communicate via instant message or personal e-mail, away from the dating site
- They instantly start talking about love
- The photos they have look too professional
- They claim they are American, but working or traveling abroad
- They may plan to visit you, but then cannot come due to tragic circumstances
- They ask you for money for travel, medical expenses, visas or other documents
Look for the Red Flags
There are also some other red flags associated with online dating scams. For instance, if you get a message that does not reference your name or profile, it might be a \»broadcast\» scam.
If you get a message from someone immediately talking about love or marriage, this is also a red flag. Also, keep in mind that a lot of married people use these sites for affairs, so if someone takes awhile to get back to you, it may be a sign they have a spouse.
To keep yourself safe, make sure you are vetting your potential dates by checking out their profiles on other social and dating. They may have similar user names/emails everywhere.
Finally, when communicating with someone you are meeting as a potential partner, both online and in the real world, make sure not to disclose too much information.
Remember, the bad guys lie, and they will do all they can to keep up the ruse until they get what they need. Use discretion, keep your private information as private as possible, and never click on message or email links from people you don\’t know.
