Online dating scams, also known as romance scams or romance fraud, occur when a person believes they have struck a connection or match through an online dating site or app, only to discover that the person they are speaking with is a fraudster with a phony profile. The scammer manipulates or grooms the other person over time in order to gain their trust and, ultimately, beg for money or gather enough personal information about them to steal their identity.
This guide will walk you through the warning indications of a romance fraudster.
Romance Scam Warnings Signs: What To Look Out For Outlined by EzChargeback
The following are warning signals of online dating scams, regardless of platform or app: Facebook catfish scams, Instagram dating scams, Plenty of Fish scams, Snapchat meetup scams, and so on.
They strive to get you off the dating app or site as soon as possible
This is because many online dating apps have customer service teams that keep an eye on unusual conduct. They may report suspicious conduct if they detect a user sending the same message to many users or other strange behavior. Scammers try to move you to another platform, such as WhatsApp or something similar, to avoid this. “My membership is going to expire,” “I don’t enjoy signing in here every day,” or “It’s easier to communicate on WhatsApp than here” are all possible excuses.
The conversation quickly becomes romantic
In catfish scams, it’s customary for the imposter to become very serious very quickly. They might lavish you with lavish compliments and pretend to be in love with you. Perhaps they claim to have a special connection with you or declare that you are their soulmate and that they have never felt this way about anyone else. This transition frequently occurs early on, according to victims.
The con artist asks you a lot of personal questions
This is because the more information they have about you, the more easily you may be manipulated. The con artist will also tell you a story about himself or herself, and you may be invited to begin talking on the phone. This phase can continue for weeks, if not months.
Their profile photo resembles that of a model
To keep the victim hooked, catfish scammers utilize beautiful profile images. Frequently, these are images of actors or models or even stock photos. It’s easy to tell if a profile photo is real if it appears to be too wonderful to be true. If their profile photo has been used elsewhere on the internet, a reverse image search will reveal it.
They don’t leave any digital traces
While some people avoid using social media and strive to keep as little personal information about themselves on the internet as possible, it can be suspicious if you can’t locate any sign of someone online.
They use borrowed text
Scammers frequently duplicate profile text and messages from other websites or dating profiles rather than making their own. To double-check, type suspicious text into an online search engine and see what comes up. If they do, don’t answer or message back.
They will not Skype, video call, or meet in person with you
They always come up with an excuse why they can’t do it. People who have been conned say that the other party made numerous excuses to avoid coming on camera.
Their lives sound like something out of a soap opera
The imposters in catfish schemes frequently fabricate intricate stories about illness, family tragedies, or big accidents in order to elicit sympathy and delay a face-to-face encounter. It could be a scam if your potential date has an extraordinary life tale.