Dating And Romance Scams – How To Make Online Dating Safer

In terms of fraud perpetrated over the internet in general, dating and romance scams actually represent only a very small proportion. However, when you consider that financially, the average victim is conned out of around £50,000, it is clear that these cases can be very serious indeed for those involved.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of one of these increasingly sophisticated and convincing dating scams. Firstly, the emerging trend is that such con tricks are aimed broadly (but not exclusively) at females, within the age range of 45-65 years old. Victims tend to be single and looking for a longer term romantic relationship. If you fall within this category, exercise special caution before embarking on any online relationship. Secondly, look out for contact from individuals who either declare openly that they are based overseas or whose spelling and grammar indicate that English may not be their first language. It is an unfortunate fact that many of the perpetrators are from West Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. Thirdly, the person you are talking to will try to engage with you outside of the dating site at a very early stage. They will want to remove and isolate you from the relatively safer confines of the dating website. If you choose to do this, never give out your personal or work email address. It is better to set up a new, more anonymous account with an alias with which to communicate with strangers. Finally, never provide revealing photos that may compromise your reputation, or give away personal details such as your address or vehicle registration number.

If you’re concerned about a possible match, speak to UK Background Checks. A trained private investigator can weed out dating and romance scams quickly and efficiently before you are fooled into parting with money. Call us on +44(0)845 512 0440 or contact us through our website at https://www.ukbackgroundchecks.com/ for expert assistance.