Looking to find the love of your life and eventually get married? Hopeless romantics are flocking to online dating apps in search of that special someone. If you're online looking for your match, be careful you don't get burned. Cyber security expert and author of Swiped, Adam Levin, is sharing three ways to put safety first in our search for love with Kristina Guerrero. Here are a few tips you should learn before starting your quest to walk down the aisle.
1. Watch for Red Flags
Take their profile, make a copy, Google it, and it shows up in places with other names, possibly other pictures then it’s a huge red flag.
2. Take Care in What You Share
Remember that a lot of the facts that you'll provide in an online profile tend to find their way into answers to security questions.
3. Don’t Send Cash or Compromising Photos
They will pitch you on why you need to send them money in order to get them a plane ticket to come visit you. They're most likely stealing your cash instead of your heart.
WEB BONUS: 6 Signs You Know You’re Getting Catfished!
1. If they sound like a bad B movie over the phone or send emails full of grammatical errors and weird phrases, don't go any further.
If they have an accent that does not match up to where they say they are from, if they keep repeating the same phrases in texts or emails, and you often find spelling mistakes or awkward sentences, they are most likely reading from a script and you may be the target of an international identity theft ring. Alarm bells should start going off the moment any potential romantic partner asks for even a little financial assistance. They first will start off small and then reel you in with promises of bigger returns on your money. Never wire any money or give scammer access to your bank account or credit card information. It’s not love if they ask you to buy a plane ticket, or request your Social Security or passport number.
2. They Want To See You But Just Can’t Meet
He’s really American but lives abroad right now. Her phone got shut off. His webcam won’t work. If all you are doing is texting, be afraid; be very afraid because they are probably using someone else's profile. Beware of a scammer who mentions they must travel to Ghana a lot for "business".
3. They Are A Drama Queen Or King And In A Perpetual State Of "Emergency"
Once a scammer thinks she or he has a live one on the line, they’ll test their mark to see how far they can push the trust they’ve worked to establish. If after a few email exchanges, this person wants to marry you or have children together, stop all contact. No one worth their salt wants to shack up or put a ring on it when they have not even met you. They may tell you they are stuck in a hotel and need your help, or that they fear for their life. Don't come to the rescue of someone you barely know and if they mention money, run.
4. They Ask You For Steamy Pictures You Wouldn’t Want Widely Seen
They may ask for pics of you in compromising situations, or to engage in some NSFW (Not Safe for Work) video chats. Sending personal pictures or screen grabs can backfire and now the scammer has fodder to blackmail you. We have all seen the poor victims of "revenge porn" and you don't want to be the star of those seedy websites!
5. They Ask You To Click On Strange Links Or Download Files
The e-card may seem romantic, but it could mask something more dangerous, like malware or viruses that can do more than just spam your computer with ads, but could infect your computer with malware, where a hacker could steal your personal and financial information. Think before you click that link!
6. Personal Safety
Meeting someone on the internet is not the same as meeting someone in person, and you won't be able to evaluate personality based on your gut feeling. When you meet people through mutual friends, at work or in social situations, the fact that they know people you know reassures you that they are not crazy or dangerous. Whenever you agree to meet someone off the internet in person, you are taking some sort of risk. Meet in a well-lit public place to ensure your physical safety.
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