Internet Dating Scams – Don’t Be a Victim

The growing popularity of online dating coupled by the anonymity has led to an increase in Internet dating scams. It is terrible enough to rip an already lonely heart – but to rip the heart as well as owner’s bank account? Talk of extreme brutality, and yes, heartlessness.

Internet dating scams come in various forms and the perpetrators are always making new ones. An obvious one is the scam dating site. This is simply a glide-by-night operation, out to sell as many memberships as possible and then disappear without offering service.

Such a scam site will nearly certainly cost far less than a typical dating site, while promising to deliver similar offer better service. Well, if it seems too excellent to be right, it usually is.

A variation of scam dating sites is the pornographic site disguised as a dating site or, more often, an adult dating site. Usually, such a site will use images of striking “members” to lure you in.

Some knowledgeable prostitutes have learned that it is more profitable – and much safer – to post a profile on an adult dating site than to work the streets. Better still for the prostitute, she (and in some cases he) has a global market.

But Internet dating scams start to get more complex when they go international. The most common one is Russian mail-order bride scam. This one targets people from first world countries (the USA life prime target).

Most Russian Internet dating scams start with the man life contacted by an striking young woman. Often, but not always, the man is much older than the woman. The scammer is counting on such a man life gullible due to life flattered by the thought of a young striking woman showing appeal in him.

With a few emails, the woman claims to be in like with the man, and wants to join him in his country. She requests money for a passport, visa, air ticket and traveling expenses (at the same time or in stages). She suggests wire money transfer or other irreversible means of sending out money.

Once the man sends the money, two things may happen. The woman might simply disappear. Or there might be a family “tragedy” for which she needs extra cash from the hapless man. She might also claim to be held an airport happen for various reasons. The objective is to milk as much money as possible out of the poor guy.

This type of scam is typically carried out by Russian men or syndicates who hire women (for very smallest fees) to use there profiles and pick the money up for them.

Unfortunately, this scam is also helped by attitudes and stereotypes. The perception of Russian women as reckless to place their country is one example. So is the assumption that everybody wants to immigrate to the west, especially the USA.

There is also the Nigerian (and lately Ghanaian) scam. Nigerian scams are a small harder to notice in that most con-artists are usually well-learned people who usually do their homework; and they can be unusually patient.

You get contacted by a “US resident” working in foreign country. Once the contact is and some level of trust established, the scam artist questions you to cash money orders for him/her. The money orders are fraudulent and you are left to pay your bank of the amounts paid.

Sometimes the scammer is not with money. They are with shipping help, for goods bought with stolen credit cards.

Most scams start at Internet chat rooms or free dating sites. Why? Because the scam artist wants to scam as many people as possible without spending money. Also, pay sites require the use a credit card, which can be traced back to the owner.

How do you protect physically from these or other types of Internet scams? There are no guarantees, just as you don’t have a guarantee of not getting in an accident because you are a careful driver. But you can lessen the risk, or become a hard target (scammers are bone idle people and will go for the simplest target).

1. For starters, sign up with a reputable dating site. A paid site is always safer as one is required to use a credit card, which can be traced back to the owner. Of course there is the possibility of someone using a stolen credit card, but the risk is smallest compared to a free site or chat room.

2. Beware of someone who claims to fall in like with you with just a few emails. Start by life disbelieving.

3. Never send money to a weirder in another country. Heck, never send money to a weirder in your own country (duh!).

4. Do not give out personal details such as home address, phone number, bank account, real email, or credit card number. Do not even give out your real name until you are sure the person is for real, and certainly not with two or three emails.

5. Do not deposit a money order from your “date” in your bank account. If you do, wait a couple of weeks to make sure it’s not counterfeit. Better still, wait for the money order to clear before forwarding the money.

6. Question for more than one photograph. A scam artist from, say Nigeria, would usually have a hard time faking more than one photograph. Also, question lots of specific questions. If you sense discomfort or vagueness on the other end, cut the relationship.

7. Follow your guts. If something feels incorrect, it doubtless is. If it’s too excellent to be right, it usually is.

Do not let terrible apples stop you from finding like online. Many people have found pleased, lasting relationships with local or foreign partners they met on the web. Just know that Internet dating scams are real, and keep alert for red flags.