Signs Of An Internet Dating Scam

One of the scam types that is on the rise is Internet dating scams. Thousands of people are affected by these scams each year, but since people find their ideal partner for short-term, long-term, and lifelong relationships through online dating, it is quite valuable. By being aware that love related scams exist, and knowing how to look for them, you can avoid Internet dating scams. Some of these scams can take a while to build up, and most of them involve groups of people working together to seek out vulnerable online daters to scam.

Every day there are reports from people who have been scammed by con artists on dating websites. If you are concerned about the possibility of being a victim of Internet dating scams, utilize the following red flags and tips to prevent loss of money and time.

Watch For Email Discrepancies

Due to most scam artists being part of groups, the voicing, tone, and vocabulary of emails can sometimes change from one to the next. If you see signs that the way people spell words is wrong, or changes from one message to the next, you may be talking to a scam artist.

Look For Appropriate Responses

Another way to tell if you are being scammed or not is to look for responses that are appropriate for the conversation you’re having. If you have clearly talked about a hobby or passion, and the other person seems to forget about it in one of the messages you receive, you could be talking to a scam artist.

Being Asked For Money And/Or To Cash A Check

One of the most obvious red flags is somebody asking for money or for you to cash a check. Scam artists are not online just to have a good time; they are looking to get information about you, and more importantly, make money on the ordeal. If anyone asks you for money or a check online, say no and avoid them. Keep in mind that some people run scams for six months or more before asking for money. 

Unrealistic Or Fake Photos

Scam artists most often do not want to show themselves, as it is evidence of who they are. Because of this, they use photos of other people, as well as unrealistic photos or stock photos. Doing a reverse image search online can be one way to identify if a photo is fake, but any unrealistic photo could be a sign.

Spelling Errors And Celebrities

You might think that these two things are not related, and you would be right. These are another two strategies that people can use to scam people. If messages have a lot of spelling errors, it may be a scam artist who is looking to find more vulnerable people who are more likely to send them money and not be aware that they are scammed. Sometimes people pretend to be celebrities for the same reason. 

Celebrities are not reaching out to people on twitter and often have verified accounts. If a celebrity, local or otherwise, reaches out to you online or starts a conversation, check the number of followers they have, verify whether the account is legitimate, and even if all of these things seem in order, take care and look for other signs that the account is a fake. Also, keep in mind that celebrities have a lot of money and would not be asking anyone for financial assistance.