Online Dating Tips – How You Can Avoid an Online Dating Scam

Unfortunately, in the online dating world as in most other arenas, there are find people trying to work the system. An online dating scammer uses their anonymity to trick others looking for a romantic partner. Fortunately, there are a number of techniques you can use to avid online dating scams.

The most obvious examples of scamming are little white lies such as someone misrepresenting their age, gender or other personal information. But if you are alert, you can usually catch them in a lie. Most predators will slip up on simple and obvious mistakes. For example, they might report experiences they could not possibly have, or show unhealthy interest in all the wrong things. Further, they reveal inconsistencies in what they say.

If you are like most people, your first thought is that you are interpreting the person wrong. You might even give them the benefit of the doubt. You are probably right not to be paranoid, since chances are you will never run into a scam. The best advice is to be alert to what is being said and exercise the necessary caution.

A typical dating scam is where a scammer posts a false profile and photo. Then they lure someone into an online relationship outside the dating site where they eventually make small requests for money such as help with paying for their internet connection or some such need. You should protect yourself further by not giving away too much too soon.

Whatever you do, never reveal your phone number, address, place of work, or financial information.

If anyone requests such information, red flag them immediately.

When your relationship reaches the face-to-face meeting stage, you will want to have spoken over the phone first. If you are still unsure about the person, you can always invest in a throwaway cell phone. Keep in mind that services do exist to reverse-look-up your address based on your phone number. Take the proper precautions you feel necessary.

If you do not want uninvited visits from someone you met online, do not give out your address. Never ever provide anyone with financial information such as your credit card number, password or other protected financial information since this is the most common way identity thieves have of robbing you.

Further, it is never a good idea to tell someone you barely know where you work. If things do not work out, you will want to avoid uninvited visits or phone calls that can negatively impact your job.

Passionate interest from an attractive online strager may seem romantic at first. But you have to ask - why would such an attractive person be so needy? It may be a Internet dating scam.

As with the old saying... "The art of being wise is the art of knowing what not to overlook."