The following list of scammer profile red flags might help you validate your suspicions if you think you may know an online dating scammer.
- They attempt to move the discussion elsewhere.
Scammers that prey on people using online dating services, particularly those who catfish their victims, will prompt you to switch to a different messaging service outside the site you met. By doing this, they can circumvent the security features that dating apps and websites have in place, in addition to learning more about you.
- Early on, your match professes to love.
Scammers who use online dating make emotional connections rapidly. They might declare their love for you and their profound connection to you within a short period. The emotional manipulation used in online dating site fraud includes all of this. It’s also the reason why those who are weak and alone are such appealing targets since they long for a connection. Early in your communication, before you’ve ever met, be on the lookout for any matches that are excessively complimentary and committed.
- They avoid video chat.
Scammers might avoid voice and video chats as well as phone calls. Many people may adopt a different voice or mimic their accents. A catfish, however, won’t show up in a video chat because they utilize false profile pictures. Be on the lookout if your match never agrees to a video chat or is quick to point out that their camera gets broken.
- They Avoid Gatherings
They want to meet you, but when the time comes, there is always some unexpected obstacle. It is a classic tactic used by online dating fraudsters. They don’t want to meet in person since the scammer is not who they say they are. The fact that it gives them an excuse for being unable to meet up is another reason why so many con artists pretend to work abroad or to be deployed by the military. Scammers include images of troops and military members in their profiles.
- They Provide a Link to a Different Service or Website for You
Some con artists choose to take advantage of victims in other, more effective ways rather than catfishing. It is especially true for dating apps, where bot profiles are prevalent. If a match offers you a link to a website, app, game, service, or another content claim they want you to try, this is frequently a ruse to get you to download malware or provide personal information. Scammers use it on dating apps as it is essentially the online dating equivalent of phishing.
- With Financial Transactions, They Request Your Assistance
Instead of asking victims for money, a different online dating scam uses them as “money mules” instead. Instead of attempting to extract money from the victim, these con artists turn you into a partner in money laundering. One instance involves the con artist handing the victim money and giving them an Amazon gift card or another gift card. Other times, they may send you money and ask you to transfer it for them to another account.
