Recently in the media, they were sharing that Romance fraud cost Canadians more than $22.5M in 2018, and it isn’t just in Canada, singles in western countries in particular are a target and this is very concerning! But what does this mean? Unfortunately, this means that there are a lot of people out there taking advantage of single men and women’s vulnerabilities. They are really good at telling you what you want to hear and give you the attention you’ve been craving for so long.
They create a whole fake persona online and are really good at convincing you it’s real. However, too good to be true usually is. Despite all the news stories and warnings out there, singles continue to be scammed, but why is that? It’s because they want and choose to believe the lies because of loneliness, desperation, false hope, as well as other reasons. But you need to be aware! Date smart and protect yourself! Read on to find out some red flags to watch out for.
Romance Scams on the Rise!
- avoid connecting with anyone reaching out to you on social media(such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc) who you don’t know or who doesn’t live in your area (ask yourself WHY are they reaching out to me in particular – be suspicious).
- do not indulge in conversations with people on social media that you don’t know, regardless of how charming they are and even if they tell you you’re so attractive, don’t fall in their trap.
- when online dating, stick to people in your area or as close as possible, don’t get caught up in the “handsome/beautiful stranger” dream.
- never chat with someone online for more than 2 weeks without meeting in person face to face (video chat doesn’t count). If they make excuses or keep canceling that’s a red flag.
- never share personal information or pictures online about where you live, where you work, your finances, your family or share pictures revealing where someone can find you.
- never believe sob stories or get caught up in someone else’s problems or drama, if you’re feeling generous donate money to your local food bank or an organization of choice. Never give someone money that you met online! NEVER!
Remember, safety first ALWAYS! You are in control of what happens to you. Be strong and take care of yourself first. You can quickly determine someone’s intentions by setting boundaries and limits for yourself.
Loneliness sucks, I know, and it feels great to hear sweet things from a potential love interest. But be careful to not get caught up in the wrong situations.
Some more tips here (from me & some security experts):
- Do’s and Don’ts of Long Distance Online Dating
- Safe Dating Practices
- 5 Ways to Know If Someone You Met Online is a Fraud
- Is Your Online Dating Profile Putting You At Risk? Facts vs Fiction
Readers: Have you ever been scammed online by a potential love interest? Share your thoughts and comments in the space below!
Your Sister in Dating Bliss,
Single Dating Diva
- Ask a free confidential dating question here.
- Order your free eWorkBook to help attract the love you desire here.
- Learn how to change your luck in dating by turning your Nonsense dating life to NO Nonsense Love here.
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Empowerment Coach Suzie 
I am always getting friend requests on Facebook and unless I know you (or you are a friend of a friend kind of thing) I won’t randomly add people. I was chatting to a guy on a dating site and then he got creepy. He then found me on Facebook and kept asking me to friend me (and when I refused would do so again). I had to block him. In general I don’t allow myself to get attached to guys I haven’t met yet. Even when I meet themI am leery. I have had guys ask me for money on dating sites and I always decline.
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Yippy I’m not the only one I was beginning to wonder if a few to many years working in places like Defence had made me overly suspicious especially of online accounts from people I don’t know wanting to connect. As much as being single sucks I’m never quite comfortable chatting on dating sites. Half the time when I’m trying to do the whole getting to know you via online chatting and the conversation starts to feel a little off all I can see in my head is creepy drunk relation you only see every few years at Christmas that all the females avoid going anywhere near because he’s constantly trying to touch you or hug you or well you get the drift sitting behind a computer typing away and that kills any interest really fast.
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