Don’t Get Scammed – How to Spot a Dating Scammer

It’s sad but true; there are people who use the internet to con people. While the vast majority of people on online dating sites are honest and genuine you need to be careful that you’re not a victim. A scammer is someone who may contact you in order to obtain money. They use false details and aim to mislead you. They will appear sweet, caring and in-need of your help but they are con men/women. Dating sites can be prone to scammers and these people prey on others who are prepared to "open their heart" to the scammer, which can lead to people to believe the scammers lie. The ultimate goal of their lies is to receive money from you - often in large quantities. In order to avoid becoming a scammer’s next victim you need to learn how to recognise a con man, or woman. Look out for these warning signals:

They are too attractive

Often when something seems too good to be true, it is! If your match looks like a model, think twice. There are of course lots of good looking people who aren’t scammer but beware of perfect looks and professionally taken photos. These should raise your suspicion as scammers often use pictures of models from stock photography sites to attract their victims on online dating sites. Look for irregularities on their profile. Maybe they claim not to care about their appearance but their photo looks like it belongs on the front page of Vogue. If this is the case alarm bells should start to ring. Anyone who is truly lucky enough to be one of these honest, beautiful people should include several pictures of them showing them relaxing at home or with their friends.

They want to move too quickly

If you meet someone online that you’re getting on well with, you will inevitably exchange contact details at some point. If however they ask for your phone number almost immediately and are very insistent you should proceed with caution. Relationships that begin online follow a natural progression from emails to phone calls to eventually meeting in person. If someone wants to jump to the last stage too quickly, something could be wrong.

They are too perfect

Con men and women are skilled at creating attractive, charming profiles – “the perfect person” - on online dating sites. Beware of these classics:

The down-to-earth single father who has fallen madly in love

The beautiful young foreigner who needs help

Personas like these work well for con men and women as by inventing such believable situations members then lower their guard. These people are professionals at what they do and work hard to earn your trust before asking you for money. If you meet someone online seems too good to be true or claims to fall in love with you unnaturally fast, be wary. They could be genuine but we advise to progress with caution and look for suspicious behaviour.

They ask for money

If someone you’ve met online asks you for money the warning bells should be ringing very loudly. Anyone who asks for money is almost certainly a scammer. Whatever their story and however persuasive they are we strongly advise you NEVER send money to them. If you’ve established a relationship in person for a significant length of time, you can then assess for yourself whether giving them money is wise, but until then, don’t do it. If the person asking for money is from a foreign country you can be certain they are a scammer. Nigeria is known for email scams but this isn’t the only country. Beware of anyone from overseas.

They ask for private information

You should never give out personal information. If you’re asked for bank accounts, credit card details, drivers’ licenses etc DO NOT give it to them. These people are clever and have sneaky ways of getting this information from you without asking outright so be on your guard with any questions that they ask. What next? If you’re convinced you’ve identified a scammer, report them to us immediately. We will then check them out, remove them if we agree with you or report them to the authorities. Remember most of the people you meet on an online dating sate will be honest people. But knowing what to look out for and being one step ahead will make you less likely to become the scammer’s victim.