6 Effective Ways to Identify Online Dating Scammers

Falling in love is a great thing. Presently, you can find true love on an online dating site. Unfortunately, with it comes specific risks and dangers as well. Scammers are all over the Internet, and romance scams are the most common nowadays.

They will take advantage of you and trick you into believing that you're into a genuine relationship. They can sound very convincing because these scammers or catfishers are such experts in manipulation. These warning signs can help you catch online dating scammers.

1. Their profiles are perfect

It seems too perfect, right? From the profile photo to their interest and likes, they seem like a knight in shining armor. Their images might also give the notion that they possess modelesque features worthy of gracing the covers of a fashion magazine. Indeed, their profile, albeit fake, can convince anyone that they are perfect.

In reality, no one is perfect.

Scammers fake their identity, and they're good at what they do. Do some research once you are comfortable with each other. Ask for their social media accounts to follow them. Check inconsistencies in their stories whenever you engage in a  conversation.

Be careful when you share your personal information; it can be used for identity theft. Scammers may try to obtain information from your profile, too.

2. They don't want to meet in person

If you found romance on online dating sites, it is natural to anticipate meeting them in person. But suddenly, that person keeps on delaying your meetup. They always give you an excuse not to meet you face-to-face.

They make promises and big plans to visit you and yet, out of the blue, they permanently cancel it due to several different reasons. They will show you plane tickets and hotel accommodations then cancel it at the last minute.

When a lover you met online always finds ways to cancel pre-planned appointments with you or does not seem as eager as you are when the topic of seeing each other in flesh and blood comes to mind, then it is a clear indication of a catfisher.

3. They are afraid of video calls

Try suggesting a video call once you are comfortable enough to check whether your online lover is using their real photo or not. Video chat will help you identify if they are genuine. Most important is this will also help you to identify an online dating scammer.

If that person cannot grant your request and ends up giving you a dozen lame excuses like they are shy, you will not like them once you see them, they are busy, or worse, they have poor internet connection, consider it a big and bright red flag.

4. They eagerly want to move out from the dating sites they use

This tip will give you a hint on how to tell an online dating scammer immediately. Some scammers will attempt to trick you into moving out from the dating sites app. That person will encourage you to use other means of communication. Fortunately, most online dating apps have customer care to prevent scamming attempts.

Catfishers or scammers avoid sticking to the same platform for a long time because they are afraid that someone will eventually report them. Beware of members who coax you into jumping to another dating site or app. Do not leave the dating app or site unless you are sure enough that you already know that person well.

5. Your relationship moves too fast

It is difficult to detect an online dating scammer, especially if you are desperate to find an exclusive partner. Scammers will gain your trust and love. Despite meeting and getting to know them for a brief period, you find them eagerly wanting to build a relationship with you.

At first, that person will make friends with you, then sweet talk to you and profess their love for you. You should be aware of people like that. Love takes time to develop. In an authentic and ideal relationship, if someone is really into you, they normally get started by trying to get to know you better.

On the other hand, fake online dating users will profess excessive romantic interests way too soon. At extremes, fraudsters may even go as far as propose to you to get what they want.

They need money (suddenly)

You wouldn't know at first how to recognize an online dating scammer. They are so professional that they know when is the right time to ask for money from you. It doesn't matter whether you’ve been in a relationship for years or months. Once they ask about your financial status, it is a sign that the person is a scam artist.

They will play on your emotions and send you positive, heart-wrenching messages. They will build a connection with you, but that connection will only end up costing you so much money. One of the most famous go-to lines scammers use to extort cash involves either an emergency, an accident, or a sudden important matter that caught them off guard to make your assistance seem more crucial.

They will trick you to send money. They may also use fake scenarios such as delayed salaries and bills piling up as a consequence. They will also make up stories like family emergencies or sky-high hospital bills.

Beware of them! Remember, don't just send money to someone you don’t fully trust, let alone someone you’ve never even met personally.

Pro Tip: If you are currently experiencing money-related issues with your online lover, or have already sent money to them, it would be best to report online dating scammer activity immediately. Block all emails and calls and cut off communication with that person. Better yet, report it to the police, especially if the situation involves a huge sum of cash.

Final Thoughts

In the end, romance scams are everywhere. The Consumer Sentinel Network’s New Federal Trade Commission data show that consumers reported losing a staggering $201 million to romance scams in 2019—a near 40% spike since 2018.

We don't want to scare you or stop you from using dating apps online to find true love. However, it is very crucial to keep an eye out for red flags. You have to learn about these tell-tale signs and look for them for you to avoid being duped.

Meanwhile, if you are a dating site or dating app owner, you know very well that romance scammers will hurt your platform's credibility. Fortunately, there are content moderation solutions for dating sites. The purpose of moderators is to prevent unwanted user content and other forms of online scams. They will thoroughly scan and filter user profiles to reduce scamming attempts.

Chekkee's dating site moderation services ensure that the profiles submitted by new members are appropriate and legitimate. With tested-and-proven excellence in screening various forms of UGC, the Chekkee team will help online dating apps to prevent scammers from entering the community, authenticate new members and monitor catfishing attempts. We offer innovative safety features to detect online fraud. Check out our methods for moderating your websites.

Merlene Leano

Director of Marketing