Online dating, although a revolutionary idea, can require you to be a bit cautious at times. Not everyone creates profiles on dating apps looking for love or companionship. Some people create fake profiles by using stolen pictures. These can be called Scammers. Such internet users are lovely to talk with, and they have a way of getting along with you. But soon, without wasting any time, they come to their point. These fake profile users can ask you for money to pay their groceries bills or hospital bill. Excuses can vary. The worst part is that a man runs a fake profile pretending to be a woman. Therefore, it is essential to make sure that your date is not some Mr. disguised as Mrs.
In this article, we are going to give you some tips regarding the general behavior of these scammers and how to stay wary of them.
To Steal Money:
Most scammers make fake profiles so they can steal money. These scammers have evolved so much that these days they can involve their victims in online bank frauds. They do it by setting up fake profiles to trap their potential victims. After gaining their victim’s interest and forming a “relationship” with them, they develop reasons and convince their love interest to set up a new bank account. Scammers then transfer this stolen money into a new bank account and convince their love interest to wire that money out of the country. Poor souls get played thinking they are just helping out their partners. What they do not know is that they are abetting a crime and aiding the criminals.
Warning Signs:
It is not easy to catch someone for being fake, especially when you are miles away from them. However, there are a few warning signs that give help unveil these scammers.
These signs are:
- They ask you to set up a new bank account
- Use Money Gram or Western Union and ask you to wire money
- They chat off the dating site by using phone numbers, personal email, or text
Apart from these critical points, you can find out whether your love interest is using fake pictures or not. You can search the images they have in their profile in any search engine, and if the person’s pictures appear under different names, it probably means they stole these pictures. It is entirely another person behind that account. Moreover, if their online profile disappears after some time, it is also a clear indicator of them being a scammer.
The real deal behind all this hassle by these scammers is money. So be careful and no matter what, never send money to someone you have met online. If your online love interest is asking for money, just know it’s a scam. Unfortunately, the number of online scams is too high in the online dating world. Hundreds and thousands of people have been scammed, and it’s not their fault. Not everyone is too smart to understand these tricks.
Money is not the only factor that compels people to create fake identities on dating apps. Various crimes have been reported where a person committed a crime by using a fake profile. But money scams top the list in the online dating world.
Money scams of the respective years:
According to a report, the most frequently reported scams in 2019 were romance scams. FTC said in February 2020 that people lost nearly $201 million to romance scams. It was $33 million in 2015, but the scam rate increased by six times in 5 years. In 2018, a median individual loss to a romance scam was found to be $2,600.
Studies have shown that older people are more likely to be scammed than younger ones. Similarly, women are more susceptible to be romantically scammed than men. In 2019, older adults lost nearly $84 million in romance scams. Government imposter scams followed this sum at $61 million and sweepstakes, prizes, and lottery scams at $51 million. Not only this, about 68% of the lot dollars in romance scams were sent by wire transfer. In 2018, Californians lost the most to dating scams. The sum was approximately $450 million. Californians were followed by New Yorkers, Texans, Floridians, and North Carolinians. Almost 49,000 people got scammed in California in 2018 in online dating scams.
Play Safe:
In the online dating world, where scams are so rampant, there are some solutions too. The most straightforward solution to not getting scammed is arranging a meet-up with your love interest. If you are not sure they are real or fake, planning a meet-up would clear things up. If they are willing to meet, it is obvious it’s a real account. If not, they are using a fake identity. There are a few key points that you can use to identify scammers. Such as romance scammers always lie about their background and job. They will always tell you they work abroad, as to avoid meeting up. If your online dating partner tells you they live too far away to meet you, know it is a cam and do not fall for the trap. They all share similar stories, which are pretty interesting to hear.
You can also catch a scammer by thoroughly stalking their profile. Usually, in an authentic profile, the person has lots of photos in different poses and locations. Most of their photos show their entire body. They also add some pictures with their pets. But in the case of a fake profile, the images are monotonous. Images are few and usually clicked from a certain angle. The profile looks too neat and good to be true. Fake profiles also do not have Instagram or Facebook profiles link attached, while real profiles have all these links.
Another famous tactic used by scammers is that they move fast. The relationship goes by fast, and they deceive you into trusting them. They do this so they can scam some cash out of your pocket before they get caught. They make promises, ask you to marry them, confess their love for you and say loads of romantic stuff.
Best Dating Apps:
Most dating sites offer some safety option, and if you move to text messages or calls, you lose that option. Flush is such a dating app that secures your data and provides plenty of safety options. It ensures your safety by asking you for a complete data background. Similarly, it ensures the original identity of your partner by asking for their complete data. So if you are using this app, you should not be worried about being scammed.
Dating online might have its cons but it is not very risky either. You have to be a bit mindful of the person you are engaging with, and you can easily find out whether your date is a Mr. disguised a Mrs. Or not.
