Taking a fake photo and creating an appealing profile, “romance scammers” have managed to steal $120 million from victims in the first half of 2016 – a 23% increase from the same period last year. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2015 was a banner year for romance scamming, with $203 million in losses.

Dating sites say they try to guard against fake profiles, but “a lot slip through.”

“Part of the issue is ubiquity,” said Bruce Reppert, assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, on online dating.

“Ive not known of a romance scam that was not first started on a dating website.”

While the pattern can vary, the scams usually seen the scammer pretending to be an American worker overseas. After a lengthy “courtship,” the suitor makes up false stories of emergencies abroad and asks for a loan.

The victim pays initially due to emotional attachment – then stay around in the hopes of collecting their debts.

“Anyone could be a victim of this given the right kind of circumstance,” said Mr. Reppert, the Illinois prosecutor.

Sites do try to screen away scammers – one official from Match.com noted that the service turns away as many as 15 percent of applicants to the site for suspicion of being involved in attempting to defraud those looking to connect.

“If there was technology that enabled us to alleviate the massive amounts of false positives, we’d do it.” a Match official noted.

The article Romance Scamming on Online Dating Sites in on the Rise appeared first on Dating Online and Meet IRL.

Can you easily identify an online dating scammer from a “real” dater?

It used to be easy but the answer is no. An online dating scammer creates a normal looking profile with beautiful images and nice descriptions. Fraud is just another part of the business here and to them, there are lots of targets. You can identify one by watching the lines of communication very closely. If you are being pressured to communicate via personal email, you might be a target. You could also view their images and make sure it is not cropped or taken at strange angles.

Is there something on your profile that makes you a target?

Online dating scammers typically play the odds in their quest for money. They always target people that seem gullible or very vulnerable. The people that are mostly targeted are those who are religiously inclined, older women and anyone else who seems vulnerable, generous or faithful. These types of individuals are the ideal targets for a scammer because they know they can get something out of the person. If you are worried that your profile might seem to desperate, you can always ask a friend to review it for you.

Can you be sure your online relationship is authentic?

You cannot be completely sure about it. Some fake relationships can last for months or even years on end and without the victim realizing it. They will search for money each time they can. These people can literally scam thousands of people.

What should you do if you suspect an online dating scammer?

You can always try to get a video call going. It is the simplest way to verify their identity and have a nice talk while you’re at it. If they look differently from their profile picture, you might as well just bail out. You can also look at their Facebook page and if things seem different or strange, just forget about this person. Do not waste your time pushing for answers if you can just have a look yourself. Use search engines, social media, phone calls and video call to verify this person’s identity.

Is your partner an online dating scammer if you receive a lot of gifts?

Scammers bide their time to soften up their targets before they try to score big. It may take months or even years but that really does not concern them. You might receive a lot of gifts and letters while the scammer is targeting you but that is because they expect a bigger payout at the end. If you suspect you might have fallen into a trap, try to verify the person’s identity as mentioned above.

What should you look for?

Anything that seems suspicious or weird can be a potential clue that this person is illegitimate. If you see any photos that are strangely cropped or taken at unusual angles, it could be that someone else was in that photo or it was taken from somewhere. If someone is a bit too pushy such as proclaiming strong feelings in a short time or forcing you to use emails, it might be that the person is using you.

What do you do if you think you are being scammed?

Report to your local police and ask for the cyber crimes unit. Prosecutions are extremely rare but in some cases they can be caught quite easily, especially if the suspect is in the same country. Some online dating services do have report links that will automatically file your report and their staff or police will investigate your claims. The main problem with any cyber crime is jurisdiction due to the country the perpetrator is in. It is extremely hard for one country to arrest criminals in another due to international law.

What is the worst thing that could happen?

There are quite a few thing that could go wrong such as meeting someone completely different from their profile, getting stood up on your first date and many more. You could be asked to travel to another country to meet this person and although it may seem romantic, there are quite a few risks. If you really must travel somewhere, it is always better to have a friend with you in case anything happens.

The article How to identify an online dating scammer appeared first on Dating Online and Meet IRL.

A catfish is someone who is someone who is impersonating another by using social media and other ways to create false identities. They use these identities to pursue deceptive and destructive online relationships.

All of us generally make jokes about serial killers or just about anything but the risk of running into an online dating “catfish” is far greater. You might think you’re chatting to someone famous or rich but in reality, it might just be another Average Joe trying to scam you out of your life-savings.

Catfish warning signs.

There are a few ways to detect a catfish before you’re dragged into a deep, dark abyss full of heartache and suffering.

1. The individuals picture looks a bit outdated or just roughed up.
2. One or two photos on an online dating profile doesn’t make a lot of sense if the person is supposed to be hot.
3. All of the photos are taken from strange angles to put the person into perfect light.
4. The person seems too eager in comparison to the beauty they portray.

Researching a catfish:

Researching someone online is relatively quick and easy. Facebook is a great place to start. If your so-called “catfish” has a few profiles across multiple social media platforms, it’ll be a snap to find it.

Here are a few ways for you to get the info:

1. Ask the person if they have Facebook. People are more open to friendships on Facebook and they use it for just about anything. Just set up an account with a limit as to the information you display. Before you add the the person, dig through the profile. It’s the easiest way to find out a bit more.
2. Google the Username your partner is using. People tend to use the same account details across multiple websites.
3. Take one of the images and run it through Google’s image search and see if something turns up.
4. Try search strings on Facebook such as the person’s name and city like: “Women named Michelle who lives in Los Angeles.” You can also try different phrases but it depends on the information you have.
5. If you have the individual’s email address, you can run a search for that as well.

How do you escape from a catfish?

Take a bit of advice from women on this. It’s not uncommon for a friend to phone about an hour or two into a date. The idea is for you to make a somewhat graceful exit without stirring up a hornet’s nest.

Will your date realize you’re lying?

If the person is a catfish then there’s no problem. It’s not like there’s a major problem in finding dates. Your escape plan isn’t meant to draw suspicion away but it’s more about your safety and it allows both of you a chance to save face.
Please note that the catfish is the one who misrepresented themselves, so you have nothing to feel guilty about.

How do you determine the truth from the lies?

It’s not a sure-fire way but being straightforward is the best option. There are numerous ways for you to get the truth in a friendly, lighthearted manner.

The one way is to ask the person about the authenticity of their images. Make sure you get the right message out but also make it clear that you want an honest answer.

Another way to catch a catfish is by making up a bogus story about a bad experience from meeting someone who didn’t live up to their profile. If this individual is misrepresenting themselves, they might get nervous, give themselves away or simply pull a disappearing act.

When in doubt, get a glimpse.

Using a program such as Skype or your Gmail’s video calling can get you a quick video chat before you meet up. There are, however, two major problems here. It might create a bit of a barrier to meet-up with this person and any awkwardness might make the catfish disappear. Always keep it short and sweet.

Your first date offline.

A first date with someone you’ve met online, should always be low-pressure. Never try to go for the whole dinner and a movie thing right away. It displays a bit too much expectation in someone you do not know yet.

Something brief and calm such as a cup of coffee or a cocktail will send a message that you won’t be staying long. Most individuals will know you’ll go somewhere else after the meeting but it also gives you the opportunity to make an excuse your date is not what you expected.

This type of approach will generally make a good-looking person more prone to accepting. A little white lie can also help you.

Don’t let the whole idea of a catfish, scare you off and make you throw away your chance at finding love. It won’t hurt you to put in a little bit of thought into the matter. “Expect the unexpected,” as they say. With these simple tips, you can get out there without worrying about a thing. Just keep your eyes and ears open at all time.

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