Today online dating has become more and more popular, convenient way of entertainment or a serious search of a real love. Following the statistical date, we found out these relationships often result in happy marriages, friendship with many different people from the different parts of the globe, or communicating with nice people having the similar interests or hobbies as you.
But this perfect and positive fairy–tale has the other side of the coin called Dating Scams.
People should follow a sensible piece of advice to take precautions while communicating with a man or a woman in the internet or while being involved in an online romance. Do not become a victim of Dating Scams as you never know for sure who is writing to you sitting by the other side of the computer monitor.
Dating Scams mean confidence tricks involving feigned romantic intentions towards the chosen victim, gaining their affection, and then using that goodwill to commit a fraud. Usually fraudulent acts involve access to the victims’ money, bank accounts, passwords, credit cards, passports, e-mail accounts, national identification numbers or even more serious crimes like forcing the victims to commit financial fraud on their behalf.
For example, there was a true story about a man who seduced over 100 women and convinced many to support his various projects financially. And this is only one of many similar situations happening every day.
So, to avoid Dating Scams, a person is to remember that all scam patterns have similarities that are very easy to notice if you know what to seek for. The main rules are the following:
a) As a rule this relationship presents an email correspondence; and letters are sent regularly, often every day; a new picture is sent with almost every letter (the pictures often are numbered in sequence - 1, 2, 3, etc);
b) Usually the contact person originates from a personal website where anyone can place his/her profile for free. Pay attention, very often it was not you who initiated the acquaintance; you receive a letter from a lovely male/female who was interested in you. The description of a potential partner of your vis-à-vis is always very broad and positive which will fit anybody for example, “kind intelligent man/woman, age and race don’t matter”.
c) He/she never asks about your job, possessions or the state of your finances - neither uses the word combination “financially secure” in her description of the prospective partner.
d) In his/her letters, he/she talks a lot about trust, honesty and sincerity, it looks like persuasion or even hypnosis of the victim;
e) The relationship develops extremely fast, and your partner falls in love with you within 1-5 letters.
f) Often your partner does not answer you particular questions though he/she eagerly welcomes your curiosity.
g) Your partner’s financial situation is very bad - and he/she lets you know from the very beginning how little he/she earns, including the size of his/her salary even though you never asked about it (one more possible variant is that she is a student).