As our world is moving towards digitalisation, more and more people are becoming victims of online scams. There are a lot of scammers out there who try clever and innovative methods to take all your money. Out of all the scams that are happening nowadays, online dating scams are among the most prominent. So this begs the question, what are online dating scams, and how can you be safe from them? This is what we will answer in this blog so make sure you stay tuned till the very last.
What are Online Dating Scams?
A dating scam, commonly known as a romance scam, is when a person is made to believe that they are in a serious romantic relationship with a person online. In reality, the person sitting on the other end is not a real person but a scammer. These online scammers incorporate different ways to scam people and take their money. These scams can happen to you through different platforms like social media apps and online dating apps.
How Is Dating Scams Done?
As we mentioned above, scammers use a variety of methods to squeeze money out of you. The most prominent and common method to initiate dating scams is through emotional blackmail. So let’s see how it works. First, the scammers create a new and good-looking profile to attract people. When people see the profile they try to connect with it and this is how the scam starts. The scammer first gets to know you. They will ask personal questions about your life to make you believe that the person is into you. Now, they will talk the same way to you for some time. After talking for some time, they invent a crisis or a situation and based on that they ask you for money.
The situation can be anything like a sudden illness in the family, accident or any other mishap. The situation that is created is more likely to be emotional. Now based on this situation, they ask you for money to help them in their time of need. Moreover, they will portray, as if you’re the only person who can help them. As soon as you send them money, they will block you or ghost you so you cannot talk to them any further. This is when you get to know that you’ve just been a victim of online dating scams but now it is too late. Money is not the only thing that is affected by it, your online presence can also be compromised. How, you ask? The scammer can send you some file or photo saying that it’s their photo and as soon as you open it, your personal information like your ID and your password can be leaked.
How To Know A Person Is A Scammer
In online dating scams, there are many indications of a scammer. They usually adjust their story in a way that it can be applied anywhere. So if the person you’re chatting with gives vague replies to your questions, there are chances that the person is a scammer. However, there are other methods too.
A Scammer Will Never Meet You
One of the main indications of a scammer in dating scams is that whenever you ask them to meet you, they come up with some excuses like family restrictions, money problems, living far from your city and many such bogus excuses. If you ask to meet someone and they reply with any of these replies,there is a chance that the person is a scammer.
Scammers Will Ask You For Money
Another trait of a scammer is that all they care about is their money, so as soon as the scammer thinks that they have gained your trust, they will ask for money citing some issue we mentioned above. As a rule of thumb, you should never give money to anyone you meet online. So, if a person asks you for money then it’s safe to say that they are a scammer. If you come across any such person online, report the user ID immediately.
Scammers Tell You How You Should Pay
Among the things scammers like to do is tell you how you should send the money. Online dating scams usually happen to people who are not well-versed in the current digital landscape. Scammers feast on people like these and when these people agree to give the money, the scammer will then tell you how to send it and this is the biggest red flag.
How To Be Safe From Dating Scams
The best way to keep yourself safe from online dating scams is to be aware of the potential risks that the internet presents. The first and most important thing is that these scammers often rush the process and confess their ‘love’ for you too quickly. So if a person says that they are in love with you after you’ve just met them, they are definitely a scammer.
The other and the most obvious way to be safe is never to send your money to someone you met online no matter how convincing or emotional their story is. If you ever come in contact with someone you think is a scammer, report their profile to the dating app or the social media platform you’re on. Also, if you’re looking for a person online, make sure you do it through verified apps and websites that scrutinise fake IDs.
