Are you looking for love online? With the pandemic limiting personal interactions, online dating has become a safer way to date. Ideally, a person is able to meet someone online and have a few virtual dates before deciding whether or not to meet in person. This could limit the number of first dates, and essentially, limit some exposure to the virus.
Tips to avoid online dating scams
1. However, dating apps are filled with more than just attractive men and women, it’s also home to scammers. To avoid scams while you’re soulmate searching, here are some tips:
2. Don’t share financial information – ever. This includes bank account and credit card numbers, but also includes login credentials for sites like Amazon where you might have your credit card information stored.
3. Don’t chat outside of the site in the beginning. There will come a time when you want to exchange numbers so you can chat or text, but to start, keep your conversations inside the platform.
4. Don’t use the same username and password for the dating site as you do for other sites.
5. Never ever wire money. Period. Scammers tend to create elaborate stories that make you feel sorry for them. Don’t get invested in these kinds of problems. They’re only after your money.
6. Be wary of people who live in other countries who “need help” in any way.
7. If you suspect a scam and try to call the person out, he or she may claim to be in love with you and wouldn’t ever dream of taking advantage of someone they care about. It’s all part of the scam. Don’t fall for it.
8. If something feels off, it probably is. Trust your gut.
If you’ve joined the online dating world during quarantine, that’s great. While there are scammers out there, there are also good people looking for love too. Just remember to make good decisions and trust your instincts.
