Online dating has become the norm these days.
But, once upon a time, people relied on their in-person networks to find love and romance. They had to wait on their cousin to introduce them to a coworker. Or they went to clubs and bars, where they met not-so nice guys and got frustrated.
Then, along came online dating sites, which set people up via profile matches and interest lists. Online dating evolved from something strange and unusual to the normal way of business.
After the dating sites, forums then grew into popular meeting spots.
People who shared a love of animals got to know each other by exchanging anecdotes about their childhood pets or offering advice on housebreaking a puppy. They began to build comfort in the online arena, as well as true and trustworthy relationships.
Friendships Evolved into Romances
People hung out online for a while. Then they may have found it wouldn’t work and moved on to the next forum.
Online dating was no longer an alien concept and many people found true love, married and raised families.
But some weren’t so lucky.
For every successful relationship, there are hundreds of others that weren’t so successful.
Then, there are those that not only lost their hearts online, but lost hundreds, thousands or, in some cases, millions of dollars.
These relationships started off normally — like all of their previous online escapades.
And all went well, until they trusted someone with the wrong information.
By becoming too comfortable online, Mr. Right can turn into Mr. What-Was-I-Thinking. That’s what happened to an estimated 5,600 people a couple of years ago.
Romance Scammers
In 2011, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Department received 5,600 complaints about “romance scammers.”
And as petty as that sounds, the total losses were just the opposite: the victims reported losses exceeding $50.4 million.
Of those that were brave enough to report, 70% were women, with more than half being 40 years old or older.
Avoiding the Wrong Profiles
When these scammers approached their victims, they didn’t just walk in, say “I love you” and take their money. That’s the scary part.
They took their time.
These romancers scam anyone willing to give them time to nurture a relationship. They spend weeks, even months, growing an emotional bond with their victims. They listen to them and discover what makes them tick. They offer an empathetic shoulder to cry on when they need it. They make them feel cared for.
Once the victim has indicated the deep connection by sharing intimate thoughts, feelings — and maybe even pictures — the romancers step up their game and ask for what they want. Money. Lots of it.
And because the victim feels such an emotional bond with the perpetrator, they give it to them.
Protect Yourself from the Scammers
Enter conversations with caution. Don’t just assume that because someone seems nice that you should empty your dirty laundry. They could be looking for the details that make you hurt and upset so they can use them against you.
Talk in generalities and never reveal your personal identity or sensitive information, as that’s what they’ll use to get at you later.
Don’t call anyone, as you could end up with huge phone charges. If you plan on taking it offline, let them call you. Nigerian-based scams often are rigged so that the number comes up as American, but still results in fees for the caller.
When you talk to people in online forums and communities, always keep your guard up. Pay attention to the cues in your conversations. Scammers are good, but they’re not perfect. If you’re listening to your heart and not the person on the other end of the cable, you’ll hear it tell you that something isn’t right.
If that’s the case, end the communication right away and don’t look back.
Online dating requires more than an internet connection; it requires a guarded heart and a careful ear.
Have you ever been scammed by a online romancer?
{ read the comments below or add one }
I have visited some of those online meeting places. It is true that you really should be aware that some of the profiles are fake and that are many people out there (online and offline) without any shame in their faces and live fulling and tricking others. It is important to turn on your instinct and your sensitivity to assess well online the people you interact with. The best advice is to on a first real life date never..ever..do it on a private place like your own or the other people´s house. Always go to a public place on the first , second and third time you relate with that person. There is a lot you can sense on a face-to-face meeting that you could never have done it online.
This reminds me of the old Hee Haw joke, “Doctor, I broke my arm in three places!” “Well, I told you before: STAY OUTA THEM PLACES!”
I have met many fine people through car racing websites, and all of them have proved to be exactly as advertised. But I have been around this world for long enough to realize that some things are axiomatic — and one of them is that YOUNG MEN DO NOT LIKE OLD[ER] WOMEN. A man who appears to romance a woman more than 20 years older than he is is Flim Flam Dan. Just that little fact alone will save you all kinds of grief. Second, men who try to treat you like a baby princess are checking to see how dumb you are, or are willing to be. As we say in Mensa, “Dumb men like dumb women. Smart men like dumb women.” And finally, if he is evasive about his background or if it seems unusually High End, he’s a fraud on wheels. The best thing you can do is stay outa them places, ma’am.
Wow. I’d heard of this and imagine there might be a few unique cases out there, but that the number is in the thousands is pretty shocking. The amount of time and intimate development this sort of scam requires just feels sick…