Are you dating an online scammer? Tips by Kaspersky

KLab_001.jpg

In the modern era of online dating becoming more apparent and normal, days of dropping cheesy pick-up lines seems to be coming to end, so as the traditional approach of face to face with an opposite sex. Our cavemen instincts of hunting is slowly being overtaken by convenience – The equivalent of a caveman ordering pizza delivery instead of hunting. What’s this about? Well, in just a less than a week to go for Valentine’s Day, Kaspersky would like to give you some tips on how to avoid dating scams.

Prior to online dating, people really took a lot of mental courage walking up to someone and asked for their number. Now, it has become so easy to find a partner in the online world, even from a different country and even allowing you to judge if you like the person’s picture by swiping. But like how your parents always warned you, not everybody on the Internet is whom they seem to be.

You’ve all heard of dating scam news before, so to keep you safe from being broken hearted and scammed this Valentine’s Day, Kaspersky have put together list of common scams and some tips to ensure your safety and your digital life is not compromised:

Scam: Mutual connection

This is where a scammer contacts you via social channels and claims having common interest or a mutual connection with you maybe from an introduction at a wedding or large gathering. If you’re a serial poster of pictures and haven’t updated your privacy settings, it’s easy guesswork for the cybercriminals.

Tip: If you receive such a claim, and no matter how desperate you are, dismiss the conversation and never add that person as a friend. Also, update your privacy settings to share with only those you know.

Scam: Intimate Activity

A very common scam especially for those in a long distance internet dating relationship. After an intense courtship period, the scammer asks the victim to connect with them via webcam and “chat.” The fraudster’s webcam is mysteriously broken, but they heap praise on their victim and, with a combination of flattery and persistence, convince their “partner” to partially disrobe or perform other intimate acts.

The scammer then reveals their true identity. They claim to have made a video recording and threaten to share the video with mutual social media friends or post the recording online, unless the victim sends money. Once the victim complies, the cycle begins—demands increase until the victim finally refuses.

Tip: If it involves a webcam and you are asked to perform indecent acts, never ever give into to the demands, no matter what they are. If the relationship is real, then you would wait to meet each other in person.

Scam: Fake Dating Sites

The recent Ashely Madison leak offers a glimpse into the world of fake dating sites. Services claim to offer legitimate meetups, but are either severely underpopulated or awash with scammers and bots.

Tip: Look out for sign-up questionnaires that are light on personal details, but heavy on questions about finances. Also watch for an influx of attention just after you’ve created your profile. If all your profile contains is a few lines of text, no photo and no set preferences, but you start getting message after message from potential suitors, chances are you’ve stumbled across a fake dating site.

Other things to pay attention to even on legitimate dating sites – let’s face it, scammers are everywhere - include the following:

Suspicious Spelling and Grammar

If they supposedly come from an English-speaking nation, be on the lookout for awful spelling and grammar. While not everyone looking for love online has the soul and finesse of William Shakespeare, truly terrible grammatical errors and run-on sentences are red flags. The same goes for emails. Native English speakers have a natural cadence when they speak and write that isn’t easily mimicked. Be suspicious if something seems “off” about the tone or pacing.

Cut-and-Paste

If messages and profile descriptions read too well, be worried. Often, scammers won’t bother writing their own material, but instead lift it from other websites or dating profiles. Here, it’s a good idea to run suspicious text through an Internet search to see if any matches come up. If they do, don’t message or respond to this scam artist.

Weird Links

Legitimate users often post links to their favourite bands, travel destinations or hobbies. Scammers typically fill their profiles with links to low-quality “spam” sites that are trying to sell a product or teach you to “get rich quick.” You may also find links to X-rated websites—a warning sign that the profile isn’t entirely legitimate.

Double Time

While strong feelings often accompany the first few weeks of any new romance, scammers will try to accelerate this process even further by offering not only a huge volume of compliments and kind words, but also intimate details of their own life that they have “never shared with anyone else.”

What can be even more troubling is if after just a few chat sessions or emails, they’re asking for a small amount of money to cover strange expenses—perhaps they’re stranded in a foreign country, have a family member in medical distress or have just been robbed, and need you to wire transfer money ASAP. If requests for money are ever on the table, walk away.

“As we get closer to Valentine’s Day, everyone, especially single folks will be scurrying to find themselves a date with a potential Mr. or Ms. Right. One of the many ways would be through the use of internet dating sites or apps. We would like to arm everyone with knowledge about common romance scams and how to avoid these fraudsters so you can skip the fake romance and seek out your true love instead,” said Ms. Sylvia Ng, General Manager, Kaspersky Lab – SEA

Thanks Kaspersky for the tips, and remember folks, not everything you see online are true. Better be safe than sorry!