With the surge in popularity of dating sites, there are plenty looking only to make a buck. They set up fake dating sites for the sole purpose scamming people out of their hard-earned money. Online dating can be a great experience, but finding your information in the wrong hands will leave a sour taste on any meeting.
Use a Critical Eye
Scammers have gotten pretty smart. Many fake sites look professional. When you’re just clicking around, there’s no way to tell that they aren’t legit. Even if the website is well-designed, it could be fake. Chances are, if they know enough to take and steal information, then they know enough to make a site look good. Scam sites can also seem to be full of members. Some of the people there are honest people looking to meet someone. Unfortunately, they are falling for the scam. More likely, you will run into plenty of fake profiles. Developers pad their sites with these fake members to make it look more busy and appealing. Make sure to do plenty of research on a site before you give it your personal information.
Beware of Women Scammers
Women scammers also use dating sites to make money. They chat with guys, targeting those who are rich but far away. At first you won’t be able to tell if anything’s off. They’re charming and happy to talk to you. It might even seem like you guys click. Once the ball is rolling, though, the dating scams begin. They like you so much they want to fly out to meet you. It’s a shame they don’t have the funds. But if you were to just transfer them a couple hundred dollars then the two of you could have a ton of fun. No matter how well the conversation has been going so far, you’ve got to drop her. As a rule of thumb, never send money to someone you’re chatting with online. There are plenty of other women in the area who won’t risk your pocket book.
Watch Out for Escorts
Sometimes women on dating sites aren’t there for a non-financial relationship. Escorts may use dating sites to get in touch with potential clients. While legitimate sites will do their best to shut them down, smart girls can slip through the cracks. Other sites might be happy to take a cut of an escort’s check in return for finding them new clients. They might not bring up money for a while. When they do, it’s suddenly the most important thing. If a girl is pressuring you into buying her gifts, it could have been her plan all along. While it’s fine to offer to pay for the date, make sure you aren’t paying her.
Finding the Right Site
With so many sites, finding the right ones can seem overwhelming. Doubly so considering all the different types of scammers out there. If you want to find a good one, though, there are plenty of helpful reviews out there to point you to the right one. Check them out before diving into the pool of online daters.