While their most common targets are women over 40 who are divorced, widowed, and/or disabled, but every age group and demographic is at risk. The scammer asks their target for the money to claim the inheritance, promising to not only pay them back, but to share the large sum with them. This is all a scam, of course, and victims often never hear from the scammers again after sending them money. They’ll claim to be dealing with banking issues because they’re overseas but promise to pay you back. And if you question them too much, they’ll disappear and delete their accounts. In most cases, these money scams take place on sites like match.com where most people are looking for a long-term relationship.

That’s not to say that anyone who doesn’t want to meet up is a scammer, or that every scammer will refuse to meet up — but the two often go hand-in-hand. And how I know its the same guy is because https://datingrank.org/shaadi-com-review/ he is also claiming to be a “Blackhawk pilot ” from Afghanistan. He says he from Atlanta Georgia, that his wife died 3 years ago from cancer and has a 8 year old daughter who is at a daycare camp.

Scams and Frauds

Either way, consider another valuable safe online dating tip, and make sure to delete your online dating account once you’re done dating. One way to investigate someone you’re chatting to is to just open up your social media. If they’re using their real name on Tinder (which we don’t recommend), you can probably look them up.

Then, secure your accounts by changing your passwords, enabling two-factor authentication , and using a password manager. You might also want to install antivirus software that can scan for malware and protect you from phishing sites. The “From” name and email address don’t match up — Hover over or click on the “From” name to see their email address.

Tip 1: Never send money or gifts to anyone you haven’t met in person

This is such an important discussion to have in today’s skeptical times with online dating. A dear friend of mine killed herself after she had given everything ,all her money,$250,000 to a Nigerian scammer,on FB. She never told any of her friends about the money she was sending him,for a “make-believe” orphan school,in guess where,Africa! These scammers continue to destroy many more lives because people are so desperate and lonely.So sad. If you think you are a victim of an online dating scam, reach out for help from Digital Forensics’s team. They have the experience and expertise to research the fraud scheme and bring justice for victims.

Inheritance scams

It might be tempting, for convenience reasons, to just log in on a dating app with your Facebook account or your main Google account. However, we strongly recommend against this, as it’s a potential privacy hazard. You’re connecting a profile that’s intended for friends and family to a platform where you’ll be contacting tons of people you don’t know. Never share your contact information on your profile. This includes your email address, your phone number, and your home address. Also avoid giving out your full name, as this makes it easy for others to find your other social media accounts.

If it shows up on a stock photo site or seems to belong to someone else entirely, then it could be part of a scam. The internet can be an incredible place for community, developing friendships, and sometimes even relationships. But it’s always important to take these relationships slowly, vet your new companions thoroughly, and be wary if answers don’t add up. If you must move the conversation over to your smartphone, don’t tell the other person your number.

Threatens legal action if you don’t comply — Again, legitimate companies won’t threaten you. If legal action is going to happen, they’ll contact you in an official manner . They ask for sensitive information over email or text — An official business or organization will never ask for PINs or Passwords over email, text, or on the phone.

Knowing that scammers are out there looking to take your money won’t do you any good if you don’t know how to recognize when you’re being duped. To help with that, here are a few common threads to look out for when it comes to online dating scammers. Oftentimes, online dating scammers tend to stick to the same cookie-cutter methods when deceiving their victims. However, there are more than a few that are more widely used and should be looked out for. You may be familiar with the case of a con man who used the dating app to fleece women out of money, made famous by the Netflix true-crime documentary The Tinder Swindler.

People search directory to try and find out more about them. People search directories are great resources that have access to billions of records. You can use these directories to lookup and name or phone number. These online “catfishers” typically will steal someone else’s photo and use it to get someone to fall in love with them and trust them. Catfishing scammers trick lonely online daters into giving them money. There are SO MANY ways for scammers to get a hold of personal information.

If you want peace of mind, consider Aura’s identity theft and credit monitoring service. When talking to someone via a dating app, keep personal information private such as your full name, address, bank account details, or Social Security number. Legitimate people won’t need this kind of sensitive information anyway; instead, they will likely want to get to know you better without asking for private details about your life. If someone does ask for this kind of sensitive data, then it is likely that they are trying to scam you out of money or steal your identity.

The scammer will spin a tale about him or herself as well and may invite you to start talking over the phone. The scammer needs money to complete their education before they can visit the victim. Dating scams can happen with people of all ages, but are especially risky to older adults.

Once you know they’re fake, report their account to the dating site or app you’re using. If you sent them money or gave them access to your accounts, contact your bank immediately and talk to their fraud department. You might also want to sign up for identity theft and credit monitoring to alert you of any potential fraud. While not as aggressive as Higher Bond when it comes to the account moderation, the team at Elite Singles does have a moderator check all profiles and photos. Still, though, that’s an impressive feat that you just don’t see most dating apps take the time to do.

However, knowing what these scams and their risks and dangers are will help you spot them and prevent them from actually doing harm. Scammers are people who spend a lot of time perfecting their technique, and falling victim to one, whether briefly or at length, is likely more about their talents than your shortcomings. Sometimes, scam victims feel incapable of admitting what’s happened to others in their lives, but according to Linden, opening up about the experience is necessary. It’s Cyber Security Awareness month, so the tricks scammers use to steal our personal information are on our minds. If there’s one constant among scammers, it’s that they’re always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. How to protect your personal information and privacy, stay safe online, and help your kids do the same.