Internet Dating Scams & How to Protect Yourself

Changes in the culture can be seen by the influence of technology. Not only are you able to monitor your heart rate on some phones, you may also be able to find your soul mate online. Online dating has become a significant trend and with the success that many have found, more and more people are turning to online sites to provide them a match. Whether it is for a few dates or for a lifelong partner, many have found the benefits of online dating. As with most good things, a down side can prevent itself. Looking to take advantage of this growing market internet dating scams have been developed. The issue has become so widespread that event he Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has put out warning against it.

A common way that it is committed is by starting up a relationship under false pretenses. The individual committing the scam may claim that they are traveling and this can offer reason for why they are unable to visit or are not positioned in one area. They may send mail and gifts, making it appear as though the relationship is real. They often look for victims on sites, through chat rooms or on their social media profiles. After the relationship has been started, the individual may then claim that they have fallen on hard times and some type of difficult circumstance has suddenly come up. They can ask to send money to help pay for their hospital bills, for lawyer fees in a criminal charge or through other means. Sometimes a scam can go so far as to have the individual be contacted by a “professional” that is in search of the funds.

Often, by the time it is suspected that it was a scam the individual is nowhere to be found. That is why it is important to take precautions early on. Scammers can often go after those that are in a vulnerable or individuals that appear like they would want to help. They can play on kindness and emotions to get what they want. There are ways that these scams can be investigated and determined as being either authentic or fake. Not only can this protect you from a case of fraud, if the person is caught there are legal consequences that they can face. Some things that should be looked out in online dating is if the person does not want to meet, if they claim they are from the United States but have a strong accent, if they face terrible luck and this luck is when they were supposed to be meeting you, if they are unable to get help from other sources, if they request money and if they seem to be hard to track.

In order to protect yourself you should not send any money until it has been fully verified that their identity is authentic, refer the individual to a source of help such as the government instead of just helping them yourself, do not give them any personal information or include this in your online profile and work with an investigator that can look into the situation and offer greater insight. The Los Angeles private investigator at Sunset Blvd. Investigations, Inc. is able to assist in these situations and our skill has been able to protect many people from unfortunate outcomes. Call us today to learn more about what we can do for you and to make sure that you are not the victim of a scam.