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Watch Out For Online Dating Scams
Tuesday, 7th July, 2009
Online
dating becomes more popular each day, with millions of singles logging
on each day and spending billions of dollars every year! Now, con
artists have taken notice and want to cash in, too. Everyday, online
dating scammers make $3000 off of single women and men that they’ve
tricked into sending them money. For
every success story you hear about someone finding love online, there
are at least a few who have some horror stories to tell. You can avoid
being one of these victims, if you just keep your eyes peeled for some
tell-tale signs.
The
most obvioust thing to watch out for is any mention of money. No normal
person would ask someone they’ve never met for money. They will use
many excuses. A sick parent or an eviction notice will suffice as a
plausible cause to send money, and since they’ve played on your
heartstrings, they feel that they can get the money out of you by
appealing to your sympathy. Another tactic they use is asking for money
for airfare to come see you, with no actual intentions of making the
trip. But, don’t fall for it. As soon as the issue of money is raised,
be on guard.
Pay
close attention to their user photo. Many scammers use photos of models
or very attractive individuals that they’ve pasted from other websites
or magazines. Alternately, they’ll steal a photo from another person in
order to seem authentic. If the photo seems too good to be true, it
probably is. Listen to your gut, if something doesn’t seem right.
Also,
scammers can be characterized by their enthusiastic curiosity. While
they refuse to offer up any details about themselves, they will
continually ask your questions about you and your life. This may create
an alluring mysteriousness in some cases, but be on the lookout if your
match is unwilling to share any of their own life stories.
Finally,
look out for inconsistencies in their communication patterns. When you
are emailing back and forth, you may notice a change in their writing
style, font detail and even language. It is very possible that the
person you’re speaking with may be more than one person.
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