All about online dating scams – Part 1We at ODS believe in online dating. Several of our team members have found love online, and we all agree that it is a very good option when you don’t have the time or inclination to go out and “do the bar thing” or if you do not have a network of aunts setting you up with their friends’ eligible offspring. Online dating is fun and it can be very effective or at the very least widen your horizons and help you make new friends. That said, online dating can also have its dangers, and it would be irresponsible of us not to bring them up. We have already written about Background Checking before a first date, and now we will devote a series to the very real risk of online dating scams (also known as “sweetheart scams.”) Remember, we do not want to put you off online dating; on the contrary, we want you to go out and date confidently once you are aware of what is going on out there. Knowledge is power! First things first: what is an online dating scam? In the simplest terms, an online dating scam is when someone pretends they are interested in dating you but they in fact are only attempting to get your money. These scams can run for petty amounts or large sums, and they can take place with your consent or without it. Actually, even though we call them “online dating” scams they are not limited to online dating – I recently heard about a man who met his scammer on a Grateful Dead forum. But wherever it is that you may come across a scammer, you will be safe if you can recognize the signs and get away before they can scam you. These are some of the most common scams: - You meet someone fantastic and start falling for them. They explain they are working in a faraway place (often Africa) and need help cashing a money order, so they forward it to you. You wire them the money via PayPal at once, and when you go cash it you realize it is a fake or altered M/O and you have just lost your money. - You meet someone fantastic and start falling for them. They explain they are in a distant country and just had an accident/robbery/other mishap and ask you to send funds immediately to help them out of the tight spot. As soon as you send the cash they disappear. - You meet someone fantastic and start falling for them (do we see a pattern?) They live in a third world country and are short on funds for paying the internet café/translator/English lessons/everyday expenses. They give you details to wire them money. These will not disappear on you… as long as you keep sending money. - You meet someone and start building a serious relationship online (this happens frequently with Russian “mail order bride” agencies). You are seriously invested into a future together, and make plans to meet, either by you traveling to see them or by having them come to see you. These are usually the most expensive scams, and can cost you several thousand dollars and a serious heartbreak. Although they sound pretty simple when described like this, scammers have become experts in creating a sense of intimacy and tugging at your heartstrings. We will explain how this is done in an upcoming article. Stay with us for more on how to detect a sweetheart scammer and how to avoid falling in their trap. |
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