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Dangers of Internet Dating

June 1, 2022 Internet

guy with hoodieIs this person, whom you’ve never met yet, but you’ve been messaging and talking with on phone, really someone who you should be conversing with?  Of course not, but he’s out there!  By the time a client calls our investigators at Sunset Blvd Investigations (SBI) they’ve already either been scammed, or they suspect the person they’ve been having an online relationship isn’t real and ask us to investigate that person.

Research shows that forty million Americans regularly use dating apps to find that special relationship. Traditional ways of meeting people, like through friends, family, or at local gathering places have been on the decline over the years.

The reality is that online dating can be dangerous.  Not everyone online is looking for that special someone.  There are con artists who scan the dating apps looking for victims. Recent studies have revealed the following:

  • 10% of sex offenders in the United States and overseas use dating sites.
  • 3 in 10 users on free dating apps are scammers. 
  • 25% of rapists use online dating to find their victims. Sexual assaults linked to online dating platforms have grown at an expediential rate in the last ten years. 

In 2022, dating app users aren’t protected beyond the screening procedures each platform elects to implement.  Basically, daters are using these dating platforms at their own peril, so it falls on the dates to do their own research.  A first step to avoid being scammed by a fake profile is to try downloading their profile picture by using the Google image search.  If the scammer is using someone else’s photo, then you’ll be able to see the results immediately. This doesn’t always work, but at least it’s worth a try.

No matter how much you trust a person you’ve been messaging, or speaking with via phone, never provide them with personal details like your residence address, bank account information, or personal photos, especially if you haven’t met them yet.  Scammers often pretend to want a relationship and before you know it they start asking you for things like money or personal information.

Need a private investigator?

Sunset Blvd. Investigations, Inc. provides seasoned and effective private investigation services for clients throughout the United States and Internationally. Our combined 80 plus years as law enforcement officers, coupled with our private investigative experience, distinguishes us from all other investigation businesses. If you’re in need of a private investigator, we’re here to assist you in any way we can. 

Call today at 888-406-0149 to contact us and request a consultation!

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Need a private investigator?

Sunset Blvd. Investigations, Inc. provides seasoned and effective private investigation services for clients throughout the United States and Internationally. Our combined 80 years as law enforcement officers coupled with our private investigative experience distinguishes us from all other investigation businesses. If you’re in need of a private investigator, we’re here to assist you in any way we can. 

Call today at 888-406-0149 to contact us and request a consultation!

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