Signs of an Internet Dating Scam

Unfortunately, Internet online dating scams are plentiful on many dating websites. It is challenging for online dating websites to sift through every member and make sure that they have the best of intentions. Because of this, you will want to arm yourself with the knowledge to avoid Internet scams. These tips can help.

Watch for Email Discrepancies

When people are messaging you on an online dating site, or in general, you may find that the emails don't seem entirely authentic or do not seem to line up. They may have large amounts of spelling errors, which is one sign that the person who wrote it might be checking to see if you notice and whether or not you might be a good target for an Internet scam artist.

Additionally, some of these online dating scammers are groups of people. The person who responded to one message one day might not be the same person who responds to that message on another day. These types of scams can take months to set up, so even if you have been talking with someone for a few months, still be aware of the signs of an Internet scam.

Look for Appropriate Responses

There are plenty of ways to check and see whether or not someone is where they say they are from. If it is somewhere nearby, you can bring up some of the latest news, ask what their favorite restaurants are, and get other specific details from them. While they can simply do an Internet search for the answers, often the responses that you get will be quite vague. Many Internet scammers do not want to spend an extreme amount of time looking things up, giving you an advantage.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most people are not responding to messages at any time of the day, regardless of when you are online. If you are always getting a response within 10 minutes, regardless of when you send the message, it might be a sign that it is a scammer who is always on their computer.

Stories that start as something annoying but develop into an emergency quickly are a sign that a scam might be in play. Often, these types of stories lead up to someone asking you for money online.

Being Asked for Money and/or To Cash a Check

This is the biggest Internet scam red flag. Never give anyone you meet on a dating website money. Even if they send you pictures, even if everything sounds completely legitimate, do not send money, a check, a money order, or even cash a check from someone else. Additionally, you will want to protect your other personal information, including your Social Security number, credit card numbers, address, or any information that could be used to guess passwords or hack into your accounts. If it sounds like a security question on a banking website, you do not want to answer that question.

Unrealistic or Fake Photos

Many dating websites will use images that can be found in reverse image searches and are not the people the person you are talking with claims to be. Some scam artists even use pictures of celebrities or pornstars, another way of testing whether or not people are researching or knowledgeable about scams. Reverse image searches are a fantastic tool, as is keeping in mind that unrealistic photos and fake photos are sometimes people that seem like they are too good to be true.