Many people lose a lot of money due to online dating scams. Leading up to Valentine's Day, this is a very popular time of year for dating websites and apps, making this a particularly prevalent time for romantic scammers. We highlight five warning signs to spot online romantic fraud.
Often, scammers want to remove the communication from the dating website as soon as possible. They will try to convince you to send messages to WhatsApp, Messenger or text messages as this means that there is no proof on the dating website if you find out they are a scammer and you want to report them.
If you don't have proof and can't report them, it means the dating website won't delete their profile so they can continue to scam others. Until you meet and trust the person you are talking to, you must communicate through the chat service of the dating website.
Of course, it is normal for a potential partner to be interested in you and your life, but scammers will ask a lot of personal questions. If a scammer wants to steal your identity, for example to take out loans or conduct criminal activities on your behalf, then he will want to find out as much personal information as possible.
As natural as these topics come up in conversations and as genuine as they sound, if someone starts asking for details such as your home address, a photo of your driver's license or passport, your mother's maiden name, or anything about your banking or financial situation, then this is a big red flag. Never share such personal information with anyone you don't know, especially if you've never met them in person.
If someone tries to cover up who they really are, they will try not to answer questions that might make them recognizable.
Asking questions about their appearance, their job, where they live, or about family and friends can make them sheepish and try to change the subject. You need to make sure they don't want to share too many personal details, just like you do, but if they constantly refuse to tell you anything about them, it's a sign that they may not be who they say they are.
If the scammer pretends to be someone they're not, they'll avoid talking to you over the phone, over a video call, or meeting you in person.
Again, you may want to allow someone to be a little shy and not want to talk on the phone or meet up too soon, but if they keep refusing after weeks or even months, this is a red flag.
This could be pretty quick, or it could be after weeks or months of talking to each other, but someone asking you for money is a big warning sign. One of the classic stories scammers use is a sick child or elderly parent. They can talk for weeks about how their family member is being treated in the hospital, building a trusting and emotional bond with you.
Then all of a sudden they turn around and say they need money to pay for specialist medical treatment and they can't get the money, so they beg you for help. Once you help them, they may keep coming back for more, or they will instantly disappear and never speak to you again. You should never send bank details or money to someone you don't know and don't fully trust.
