Technology has revolutionized the way we live, making our lives safer, more enjoyable, and more convenient. One aspect of the world that’s changed a lot thanks to technology is dating, with dating apps and websites now being one of the most common ways for people to find love. Although online dating has many advantages, it has one major problem.
Scammers have become an issue for online dating platforms, tricking people out of their money by pretending to be someone else, building trust in their victim, and exploiting that trust. As shown by ExpressVPN’s research, dating scams are on the rise. However, you shouldn’t let this stop you from starting your online dating journey. You just need to know how to spot if someone’s profile is fake.
The Profile Looks Too Good to be True
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Getting a match or a message on a dating profile can be exciting, but being realistic about your chances is important. If you see a match from someone that looks too good to be true, it’s best to be wary when sending messages.
Scammers will often use attractive photos of people they find online to trick unsuspecting victims. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should ignore anyone you think looks out of your league. But it’s a good idea to be cautious about developing feelings before you’re sure they’re real.
Inconsistent Information
When reading someone’s dating profile, you may come across inconsistent information. For example, if someone says they live in NY, but all of their pictures show them in another city. Or perhaps they’ve mentioned working a particular job, but their photos suggest otherwise.
That doesn’t automatically mean they’re a scammer, as these can sometimes be explained. But it should make you wary of someone, and it’s best to be vigilant if you spot any inconsistencies.
Poorly Written Profile
The bio of your online dating profile is a good way to share things about you, including your life and interests, that will help you find the perfect match. It’s also good to read if you’re trying to weed out any potential fake profiles.
A lot of scammers live overseas in countries with a low cost of living, and they may not have very good English as a result. If your match has a poorly written bio with lots of spelling mistakes, there’s a chance they could be a scammer.
Empty Profiles
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Some scammers will simply take the easiest possible route, leaving a fairly blank profile with just one or two pictures. If your match doesn’t have much information to go on, it might seem more mysterious and interesting. However, there’s also a chance that they’re a scammer.
Think about it, if you’re trying to attract a date, you’ll always make sure your profile is high-quality. However, scammers don’t have that concern. Beware of profiles without much information or with only one or two photos, as they could be fake.
Nonsensical Messages Replies
In some cases, scammers use automated bots to control hundreds of different dating profiles at once. That allows them to potentially ensnare more people but also makes it much easier to tell they’re fake. Generally, they’ll send them the same few message replies, and these will seem nonsensical if you reply with something that doesn’t fit the normal script.
For example, most people open up with “hey” and then follow with “how are you.” If you send these messages, the bot will look like it’s answering you, but if you send anything else, it will be clear that it’s fake. Never send standard messages, as not only are they uninteresting to your potential date, but they also make it harder to spot fake accounts.
How to Avoid Fake Online Dating Profiles
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Fake online dating profiles are unfortunately all too common, and as technology advances, so does the deception. Fortunately, it is possible to recognize potential fake profiles and avoid them. Following a few simple steps can help you weed out the fraudulent accounts on dating sites.
Below are tips for identifying and avoiding fake profiles when using a dating website:
Look For Poor Grammar: Many false accounts use bad grammar than real people do; therefore, it is important to look out for excessive typos and incorrect sentence structure in profile descriptions.
Check Their Pictures: If their photos look too good to be true it probably is not them. Fake accounts often feature stock images or worse yet could be someone else entirely. Check to make sure the same person appears in all of their listed photos and if they look too perfect, go with your gut instinct.
Research Their Location/Backgrounds: If they claim they’re from an exclusive part of town but don’t list any details regarding their background or any tangible history tied to that particular area then chances are that something isn’t adding up. A bit of research can easily help verify what the person claims about themselves and people who are actively trying to deceive may not take extra care with something like this detail.
Be On High Alert for Flattery: Like catfishing, scammers often try flattering potential victims into feeling special and confident enough to follow through with their schemes as this type of behavior tends to lull people into a false sense of security or trust. Be wary of anyone who showers you with compliments without knowing much about you themselves—real relationships form through honest conversations, curiosity in each others’ lives and eventually mutual connections form overtime; if they start off overly gushing compliments this should immediately raise some alarms!
Be Selective With How Much Information You Give Out About Yourself: Although safety is essential when looking for potential matches online it’s always best not reveal sensitive personal information until after meeting in person or at least gaining an adequate amount of trust established between both parties over time by getting to know one another first on multiple occasions before taking things further physically–which includes giving out your actual physical address upfront!
