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An unsuspecting person seeking companionship utilizes a dating website and coincidentally gets matched with a scammer. Is it really a coincidence?
With the growing influence of the internet and AI, the risk of falling victim to scams increases. It's not coincidental that scammers target those most desperate for love and connection. Romance scammers research potential victims by scouring social media and dating platforms for posts revealing details about the target's life and interests. A romance scammer can create an illusion of familiarity and compatibility even before an actual meeting. How is this possible? It's because you've laid out your life story on social media. Scammers will find out what they can about you and use it against you, presenting themselves as the perfect answer to the love one is seeking. They do this by creating fake online profiles and building phony emotional attachments until a potential victim is comfortable sending them money.
If your gut says one thing and your heart refuses to listen, you may soon become a victim of a romance scam. Below are some tips to help identify love scammers. If you find yourself reluctant to utilize these tips, think about why you are hesitant. So before you swipe left or right, review these basic tips:
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Be Skeptical: Be cautious of individuals who seem too good to be true or want to rush into a relationship quickly.
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Limit Personal Information: Avoid providing personal information on your profile page. Scammers use that information to increase your connection. Never provide your home address or financial situation until you have a long-trusted relationship.
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Verify Verify: Scammers use fake profiles and stolen photos from the web. Do a reverse image search on EVERY SINGLE PERSON you meet using websites such as tineye.com or Google images. Additionally, search online for a profile name, email or phone number, if the information doesn’t match up, swipe left.
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Be Skeptical: Too good to be true? Trust your inner voice and maybe your best friend who says it IS too good to be true.
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Stay on the Dating Platform: If the person suggests hopping to an “easier” site to communicate, that’s a warning sign.
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Beware of Sob Stories: Scammers use elaborate and emotional stories to gain sympathy and ultimately to get money from you. Send them a box of tissues instead of money.
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Too Few Contacts – Check out how many contacts the person has. A limited number of contacts and a new profile may be indicators of a scammer.
Many people believe they are too clever to be a victim of fraud. Overconfidence is one of the ways fraudsters can reach you. Thinking you are above such things makes you less vigilant and more vulnerable. And if you do get defrauded, you will be less likely to report it because you are too embarrassed to admit having been scammed.
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