Red flags on online dating apps

The prospect of finding love online seems tempting. After the pandemic, many people are turning to dating sites to find potential love interests. However, with the significant increase in the popularity of online dating, crimes committed on dating sites have also increased. It is clear that people of all generations are trying to find love on dating sites these days. But with the increase in the use of dating sites, cybercriminals and fraudsters have started flocking to these sites.

ExpressVPN Guide reveals that online dating scams have increased significantly in recent years. With millions of users accessing online dating sites, it will be difficult for users to separate fake profiles from genuine accounts. That’s why users need to be more aware of the dangers of online dating to protect themselves against scammers.

What are dating scams

Online dating scams are a way for cybercriminals to trick victims into dating sites in order to make money or other gains for them. Such criminals usually try to trap victims by making them emotionally invested in their online relationships. Finally, in the event of an emergency, they may demand monetary gain from their victims. Financial scams are the most common scams on dating sites. However, catfishing, extortion and extortion also occurred.

Red flags to look out for on dating sites

Most people who are heavily involved in the online dating culture are aware of the dangers of online dating apps. However, older generations are more prone to such traps as they are not very technologically savvy. Generally, such people are high targets for cybercriminals as they are more likely to profit from them. Here are six red flags that users should look for when using online dating sites.

1. The person you have been talking to for a long time avoids meeting. Even if you plan a meeting, it gets canceled due to an emergency.

2. Are they also reluctant to share their social media or video chat with you? If so, they’re probably not who they say they are, and you could be a victim catfishing.

3. If someone requests your personal information immediately, you should block it immediately. Personal information such as phone numbers or email addresses can make you vulnerable to data breaches.

4. If someone has the perfect profile, it might be too good to be true. If you come across an ideal profile and the person has absolutely no flaws even when you talk to them, there is a good chance that the account is run by a group of fraudsters. This usually works on people who are emotionally vulnerable because they get attached to someone easily. After all, the idea of ​​fairytale love is tempting.

5. Are you the only one answering the questions? Well, if the other person avoids all questions and does not want to go into information about him, then you should be careful. Even though no one will answer invasive questions, refusing to share anything is definitely a red flag.

6. Are your boundaries not being respected? If someone doesn’t respect your boundaries and constantly pressures you to share personal information, you should block them immediately. Also, don’t meet anyone at the beginning of the conversation. Also, avoid sending explicit images to people as it can lead to blackmail.

Finally, watch out for scams

There are a lot of scams going on online dating sites and people need to be called out on these scams. We are hearing more and more cases of people falling victim to online dating scams. Users should be vigilant on such sites to recognize red flags.

Dating scams are not limited to financial scams; extortion and robbery also occurred. It is the responsibility of active users of such websites to be aware of the dangers in order to protect themselves.