Every day, thousands of people around the world meet online, and each one is chasing their own goal: some are simply filling spare time, some are hoping for no-strings encounters, while the majority are looking to find a kindred spirit on the Web and build a relationship. Unfortunately, it is precisely lonely people who most often fall victim to fraudsters.
Even though profiles are moderated almost everywhere, no one can guarantee the purity of every user's intentions. But as they say, forewarned is forearmed.
We invite our readers to familiarise themselves with the main schemes used by scammers on dating sites.
Spammers
The most common victims of spammers are men looking for a one-night stand or a bit of fun. After a brief exchange, the girl sends a link to a site where there are plenty of her 18+ photos and where chatting is supposedly far more convenient. Access to the site comes at a price, but neither photos nor conversation ever materialise.
We do not recommend following such links. They may also contain viruses, intrusive ads and other unpleasant surprises.
Small-time con artists
These usually operate through fake female profiles and "fleece" men for modest sums. If the woman you have started talking to refuses to send a recent photo, avoids direct contact, yet regularly asks you to top up her mobile phone, complains she cannot afford a taxi, or turns out to be a student with nothing to eat — that is a serious reason to doubt your interlocutor. Insist on meeting in person, and if it never happens, we advise you to end the conversation and report her to the service moderators.
Blackmailers
Both men and women can fall prey to extortionists. Their core method is gathering compromising material, which they then use to extort money in exchange for silence.
Typically, blackmailers hook users who are married or in serious relationships. They pry details of your life out of you bit by bit, ask for links to your social media accounts and recent photos, and often steer the conversation into intimate territory. Once the extortionist has done all the groundwork, he starts threatening to spread the compromising material among your relatives and acquaintances, demanding a hefty sum for his silence. Pay a blackmailer once, and you risk becoming his cash cow for a long time to come.
Do not send your intimate photos over the internet. Ideally, never — to anyone.
Scammers
This category of online fraudster plays for high stakes: they worm their way into the victim's trust, work on them over a long period, write passionate letters, make them fall in love, and then leave them with a broken heart and an empty wallet.
All too often, behind the façade of a wealthy, successful foreigner or fellow countryman hides someone entirely different. Ask for a recent photo, insist on personal contact. If doubts are gnawing at you, run the photo through Google and check its source. Do not be surprised if the picture belongs to a completely different person — someone with a family who has never registered on a dating service. Pay attention to whether they call you by your name, whether they actually answer your questions, or whether every message sounds like a template — all feelings and declarations of love and nothing else.
The most common money-extortion schemes
An expensive gift
One day you receive a message from your interlocutor saying he has bought you a present and sent it by courier. For some reason he could not pay for the delivery, but he has tucked the money inside, so you will not lose out. Once the delivery is paid for, the fraudster vanishes, and the victim gets neither love nor gift.
The long-awaited meeting
Another variation: the scammer suggests coming to visit you or taking a trip together. Only the plane tickets/hotel booking need to be paid for right away, or the super deal will slip away. As luck would have it, he is short of cash at the moment, but he promises to reimburse everything when you meet. The site turns out to be fake, and all contact ceases after the payment.
A dire situation
Once the victim has fallen in love, the most cruel and elaborate money-extraction tactics come into play. After a whirlwind online romance, the fraudster insists on meeting in person — he may even buy plane tickets. But wouldn't you know it, at the very last moment some catastrophic misfortune befalls him: his bag with documents and money is stolen, he is fired from his job, he or a relative falls seriously ill, and a large sum is needed urgently. The smitten woman scrambles to gather the money, unwilling to abandon her beloved in his hour of need. But once the money is sent, the fraudster evaporates from her life.
In closing, it is worth remembering that online dating is no more dangerous than dating offline. Stay alert, verify the information, and never send anyone your personal data or money.