Intro
Unfortunately, even on some of the most legitimate dating websites on the planet, people join with intentions that are less than pure. Some of these people may be searching for personal information, and others may be looking to score a payday through blackmail or other strategies.
There are thousands of people who are scammed every year, and there are many different types of scams that are used, including romance scams. Since scams are getting more sophisticated each year, educating yourself on how to avoid an Internet dating scam is essential. This is particularly true for people who are looking to start online dating ,or are looking for people to have casual sex online with, utilizing dating websites.
Here are a few things you can look for in order to avoid dating website scams, including a number of red flags that will increase your awareness and help you protect yourself, your finances, and your personal information.
Watch For Email Discrepancies
There are many things to look out for on dating websites that can help you identify potential scammers. One of these things is discrepancies in the emails you are sent. If the messages you are sent on a dating site seem like they are written by a different person each time, it is a reason to be a little suspicious. Additionally, many scammers choose to include spelling errors and sentences that are awkwardly phrased specifically to determine whether or not the person realizes it is a scam or not. These are all signs that you can look at to help identify whether or not the person you are speaking with might not be real or might be multiple people.
Look For Appropriate Responses
Similarly to looking for discrepancies, you will also want to look for appropriate responses. If the person claims to live around you or in a particular city, feel free to ask questions about specific places, such as restaurants, to see if they have local knowledge. Additionally, immediate responses that happen very quickly and regardless of the time you send a message can be a red flag. Lousy grammar and misspelled words can also be a big sign.
Also, an appropriate response on a dating website tends to be personal and be a sharing of information. If the other person is not giving out any specific information about themselves, or answer you in a cold and non-personable tone, they are more likely to be a scam artist. Also, if the responses seem like they may have been copied and pasted while being sent, do not line up with the conversation you're having, or do not answer the questions you have sent to them naturally, they may be a scam artist.
Being Asked For Money And/Or To Cash A Check
People on dating websites should never, repeat never, ask you for money or to cash a check. The simple answer to any of these requests is no, and you need to stick to that answer. This type of behavior is enough to block the person and not talk to them again. People know that this is associated with scams, and would not do it if they were not a scam artist themselves.
Unrealistic People Or Fake Photos
Some people that are looking to scam others on websites use photos of relatively unknown celebrities, pornstars, or people who are simply unrealistic. The text in their profiles might be bogus or have spelling errors, and sometimes profiles have multiple pictures where the person in them does not even match. Be careful to look out for all of these things, and remember never to give money, money orders, or any equivalent to someone who asks for it online.
