Online Dating is a billion dollar industry that has those looking for love searching for that perfect match from the comfort of their own home. The idea of online dating is great because time and money are saved by being able to filter out unwanted matches with the click of a button rather than having to go on many dates before finding that special person. It's all great until that perfect match who loves taking long strolls on the beach and watching the sunset turns out to be a fraud and a scammer.
Check for Email Discrepancies
We have all had our fair share of typos and unclear language but when those errors go overboard and are consistently repeated, there might be a cause for concern.
Warnings like immediate responses are also worrisome. No matter how desperate a person is, an email response within 15min of every message you send can be a red flag. Even if the potential match claims to be using English as a second language, consistent repeated language and other language issues are something that should be looked into further.
Limited Details Shared
At first you might think that this person is extremely selfless and wants to learn anything and everything about you, which can start off fine but until similar details are shared by the person on the other end you should remain skeptical. A lack of personal details can sound vague and mean that there is no substance to this potential match. A good sign is when the person routinely changes the subject when their personal information is called upon.
Attempt to determine if the email responses are coming from a template and not being geared towards you, but rather vague and common details about everyday people looking for love.
Unrealistic/Fake Photos
I am not here to say that if the person you are messaging turns out to have a runway model photo to stop talking to them, but if they have fallen into another category in being a scam, do some extra research. A great website to do a reverse search of the photo is TinEye.com where information will appear about where that photo has surfaced online.
Asked for Money
Many would think this is an easy thing to stay away from, but once emotions are attached it becomes possible for people to give away thousands of dollars to complete strangers. It doesn't just include giving cash, but also cashing checks for them. These scam artists come up with elaborate, sad, and believable stories, but no matter what happens it is imperative to never give any money to a stranger. It will only take a turn for the worst and it is almost impossible to get any of that money back.
Decrease your Risk
There are a few initial items that can be taken care of to greatly decrease your exposure to scammers. First, using paid sites will keep away many of the fraudulent accounts, so do not try to cheaply find love, sometimes it takes a little bit of money to get a quality service. As the saying goes, "You get what you pay for."
Check social networking sites for your match that you have been connecting with. It is likely that they belong to a social network, but if not there is no need to panic. If Facebook turns up empty, many professionals are on LinkedIn which could come up more successful.
When the relationship progresses, a phone call should be set up. It is pretty obvious within the first 30 seconds if the person you are speaking with is for real in their intentions or if it's just a scam.
Whenever dating begins online, be sure to read the safety tips of the particular site you are using. Use common sense and know that if you feel it's too good to be true, it probably is.