Free dating sites are subject to around 10% scam accounts. In some cases, these spam accounts are fraudsters trying to make money. This is a trick where a scammer creates a fake profile on a legitimate dating website and contacts you to obtain your personal information. Paid sites tend to have a significantly lower percentage of these spam accounts.
A con artist will establish a relationship with you before requesting money to pay for medical bills or a family emergency. Sometimes scammers will spend months and months building trust with you by appealing to your emotions.
There’s no better way to visualize this scam than through the infamous movie titled The Tinder Swindler. This true crime documentary narrates how a man capitalizes on the trust and emotional connection of women who fall in love with him. He fabricates emergencies and believable financial situations that end up scamming women out of thousands of dollars.
How to protect yourself:
- Be careful what you post online.
- If you develop a relationship online:
- Research the person’s photo and profile.
- Ask questions.
- Beware if you are asked for inappropriate photos or financial information. Do not send money to people you meet online and have never met in person.
- Be suspicious if the person fails to show up for multiple attempts to meet and always has an excuse.