How To Spot An Online Dating Scammer

Even though online dating can be fun and exciting, while you’re putting yourself out there and meeting new people it’s important to remember that everyone isn’t always what they seem. The sad truth is that scammers purposefully target people on online dating sites because they know that we’re more likely to make rash decisions and throw caution to the wind when romantic feelings and strong emotions are involved. So how do you stay safe?

1. Asking you for money or financial information.
Never give out your financial information to someone you’ve met on an online dating site or app. Seems simple right? Well, it may seem like common sense to keep your information to yourself, but scammers can be convincing. If someone you’ve come to care about asks you to help pay for travel expenses so her or she can come see you, it may be tempting to hand your information over. Don’t do it. Asking for money to visit you is a common story that a lot of scammers use.

2. Contacting you from another country.
Many scammers come from another country or claim to be stuck in a foreign country. Be weary if the story someone tells doesn’t match the location or information in his or her profile.

3. Refusing to meet in person or talk on the phone.
Does the person you’re talking to only want to keep things online? Does he or she ignore you when you ask to meet in person? This is a common scammer move to watch out for.

4. Claiming to love you right away.
Often scammers will come on very strong right away and the language can be over the top and intense. It can be exciting to feel close to someone so quickly, especially when you’ve been wanting a serious relationship for a while, but be weary of someone who claims too much too fast. Scammers will push for a serious relationship without getting to know you or meeting in person first.

5. Pressuring you for your phone number, email, or other contact information.
If someone wants to communicate outside of the dating app you’re using right away, beware. It’s normal to ask someone for their phone number but it’s odd to ask someone for personal information right away.