A romance fraud guest post from Samantha Cooper from Rogue Daters.
If you are new to the dating scene or perhaps recently divorced or widowed and find all the new online dating a bit daunting. These are the tips you need to ensure you are not scammed or a victim of any kind of fraud.
Who is a victim of romance fraud?
Too often when talking about romance fraud, members of the public always respond with the same sentence of words:
‘it would never happen to me’
or
‘these people are so stupid’
As a professional, private investigator specialising in romance fraud I can tell you that these statements could not be more wrong.
‘It would never happen to me’
Victims of romance fraud do not set out to be deceived, defrauded, or have their heartbroken. They are set upon by uncaring, unscrupulous people with only one intention – getting their hands on somebody else’s hard-earned money.
These rogues are masters of manipulation and will pull out every trick in the book to deceive. They will be fishing with multiple people in the hope of hooking at least one person to scam.
‘These people are so stupid’
The true victims of fraud
Through the experience of dealing with victims of fraud the one reoccurring trait in all, is that they are simply too kind and too trusting. They, most definitely, are not stupid or any other choice words to victim shame.
At Rogue Daters, we have dealt with doctors, teachers, business owners and celebrities who have been on the receiving end of these scammers.
Members of the public who belittle the victims are indirectly aiding the scammers as this makes the victims too embarrassed to speak out and tell others what is happening to them.
Once A Person Has Been Scammed
Unfortunately, once a person has parted with money it is incredibly difficult to get it back. Victims are left heartbroken and with a loss of confidence.
Some people are left with large loans they have taken out to help the scammers or even, totally financially ruined. It can also affect family relationships once the full picture emerges.
How to avoid the scammers
There are many things to consider when connecting with somebody online:
- Are they really who they say they are?
- Does this seem too good to be true?
- If they are based abroad or far away, is this the type of relationship you really want?
- Would you ask them for money? If not, why should they ask you for money?
- Are they avoiding video chatting with you?
- Are they declaring their feeling for you too quickly, does it feel rushed?
- Do they have a presence on social media sites?
- Have you asked a close member of the family or friend what they think? They will give you an honest answer if something does not seem right.
Some people state that it is wrong to check somebody out on a search engine or social media very early on, however, would you accept a job without checking out information about the company?
It is worth remembering that whilst you are at home, on your mobile phone or computer you are in your safe space and your guard will be down so please take extra care.
Getting help
If you suspect a profile belongs to a scammer, please report it to the dating app and then block it.
Samantha Cooper at Rogue Daters is always available to chat to confidentially to men and women regarding any dating worries. She can be contacted at info@roguedaters.co.uk.
