Stay safe while playing the online dating game is not as easy as it used to be . While online dating has become a more acceptable way to meet new singles, the risk of being taken advantage are higher than ever with tons of online dating scams popping up. It seems that every day there is a new title to someone being scammed money or "catfished" with someone you meet online. How can you ensure your safety whilst browsing love online? Here are some safety tips guaranteed to keep you on your toes.
How can you avoid scams online dating?
1. Do not use a false e-mail to register: It might be tempting to use janedoe@email.com rather than your own email, but chances are that someone one already owns some e-mail address that you make up. Not only will it be extremely inconvenient for them to receive your site e-mails dating, but you put yourself at risk for a hacked account. One of our members of staff NextAdvisor regularly receives emails from dating sites where people register and use its rather generic email address instead of their own. He discovered recently that Match.com allows it to log in and change the password to an account without having to know the old password - simply because their email address associated with the account. Talk about a security breach! If you really do not want to use your personal email for online meetings, create a side account with a free email services that exist innumerable and direct all of your online dating correspondence there.
2. Use Google image search to authenticate photos: It's easier than ever to create a credible false online identity with so many people downloading hundreds and hundreds of images to their Flickr accounts or social media profiles. If things go well with a particular match, before agreeing to meet in person, it is a good idea to do a search using Google images to make sure they are who they say they are. It is easier to do than you think.
First, save the photo in question on your computer or right-click the image and select "copy URL of the image" in the menu that appears. Then go to Google images and click on the camera icon in the search box. A pop up giving you the ability to upload an image from your computer or paste in a URL image. You can also drag an image from a browser tab in this.
Use Google image search to help verify that you talk to who you think you are.
Once you have inserted the image, you can click the search icon and Google will match the image. If it is an image used or similar to others on the Internet, you will see the results. If an image has been dragged to a stock photo site or social media profile of someone else, this is a good way to find out. It is also a good idea to research your own images occasionally to prevent your face to become a part of the online dating scam another person.
3. Do not give your personal information: It sounds obvious, but people can often become blinded by love ... or at least the potential for love. If you were paying attention to the news lately, dating site scams are all the rage. The same people behind these emails money of Nigerian scam rights are beginning to turn to dating websites to find new victims. If someone you've been chatting request your personal information from the start, but avoids the meeting in person or seems to have many holes in their story, keep your wits about you and do not give your privacy. Obviously, this includes the important things like your bank account information and address, but you should also avoid taking online communication until after you can verify the identity of 'a match. eHarmony and Match.com both supply characteristics that allow you to call the games on the phone without revealing your phone number.
4. Propose a meetup sooner rather than later. While you certainly should not invite someone you met last Tuesday in your house for dinner, it is good practice to meet for a cup of coffee in a quick public space once you think you made a match with someone. Because many scam artists online dating will spend weeks to months slowly infiltrating the lives of their victims to build enough trust to swindle money while avoiding a meetup would expose their lies, suggesting a casual early date can be a good way to eliminate someone too good to be true. If they give you an excuse after another for why they can not meet, take this as a red flag that something might be wrong. After all, the point of online dating is to eventually meet in person, right?
5. Get a paid subscription. There are hundreds of free dating sites to choose from these days, but the danger of using a free website that anyone can get just that - anyone can join and create more false accounts to use for attacking the unsuspecting people. Scams and other unwanted people are less likely to pay for an account with a reputable dating site such as Chemistry.com. These sites are also selective about their members, so you can rely on them to remove suspicious behavior and pay attention if someone is reported.
For more information on online dating and that different sites have to offer, see our review page of online dating.