Whether we like it or not, we cannot hide the fact that modern romance scams are becoming more rampant. This is the main reason why we need to stay alert and protect ourselves when we are dating online. We need to be aware of the red flags, and we need to respond to what our gut is telling us.
Techniques That Could Keep Us Safe From Cunning Modern Romance Scams
First off, let’s acknowledge that there are genuine people out there who truly find a lifelong partner through dating sites. Yes, they are out there. We just need to know how to spot them and protect ourselves at the same time. Below, we’ve listed down a few techniques that could keep you from falling into a modern romance scam:
1. Find Patterns In Stories
The internet is full of stories of online daters who fell for online scams. Read through three or five and then see if you can spot a pattern. Did the scammer say “I love you” too soon? Did the scammer make excuses for not being available for a video chat? Did the scammer’s emails contain plenty of errors?
2. Never Send Gifts, Even If They Ask For Small Ones
It’s definitely a red flag if your online date asks you for money. However, modern scammers don’t usually start out by blatantly asking you to send them cash. They usually start small like iTunes or Amazon gifts. When they have already received these, they move on to bigger and more expensive items. If you’ve already met the person in real life, then it’s probably alright to send gifts, but if you’ve just been chatting for 3 days and the person asks for a present, you should consider this a giant crimson flag.
3. Don’t Buy Into The Disappearing Excuses
Have you ever had someone ghost you for a long period of time only to come back with a very far-fetched excuse for why they have disappeared? Consider this a warning sign. Did the person have surgery? Did the person travel to a remote place in the world? You’ll know if the excuse smells fishy because you’ll feel it in your gut.
You need to stay informed if you want to be safe. Never forget all the basic red flags like never send money, always protect your personal information, and etc. Add the ones we have on the list to your safety tips to remember. For more about keeping yourself safe while finding love online, read other posts on our blog.
