10 WAYS TO SPOT A ROMANCE SCAMMER
Watch out if you “meet” someone who:
1. Wants to leave the dating site immediately and use personal email or instant messaging to communicate with you.
2. Makes several spelling and grammar mistakes when communicating.
3. Sends a personal photo that looks like it’s from a glamour magazine.
4. Professes love too quickly.
5. Claims to be from the U.S., but is traveling or working overseas.
6. Makes excuses about not being able to speak by phone.
7. Plans to visit, but cancels at the last minute.
8. Asks for money for a variety of reasons.
9. Requests you to wire money or to cash a check or money order and send money back or to a third person.
10. Makes several, ongoing requests for more money.
Source: AARP
5 TIPS TO AVOID ONLINE DATING SCAMS
1. Adopt an air of mystery. Don’t provide your last name, address or where you work until you’ve actually met.
2. Prevent cyber romance tracking. If you’re using a mobile app, turn off location settings.
3. Check photos. Use Google’s “search by image” feature to see if the photo shows up in other places under a different name. Many scammers steal people’s photos and assume their identity.
4. Verify that the person is real. Do an online search.
5. Use search engines to check out suspicious emails.
Source: AARP
Technology opens many different avenues for older adults to stay active and engaged, but it also opens them up to scam artists.
Not only do seniors need to be wary of the “freebies” and other online ploys designed to steal their cash and identity, they also have to look out for those trying to woo their affection.
There's a worldwide program of con artists preying on dating sites these days, warns Charima Young, AARP Georgia associate state director of outreach. They may pretend to want romance, but what they're really after is money.
People over 50 are the fastest-growing group visiting online dating sites, according to AARP. And they’re likely to be the most vulnerable to con artists, too.
“Widows and divorcees can be emotionally vulnerable,” Young said. “And especially vulnerable are older people, who can’t even fathom some of the scams that they could be conned into.”
Young says she’s heard many heartbreaking stories of seniors who’ve had their entire life savings wiped out by someone they met on a dating site.
The Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that in 2013, the latest statistics collected, it received more than 6,400 complaints about romance scams with losses totaling $81 million.
AARP stepped up efforts nationally to warn seniors about these con artists and urge the online dating industry to establish safeguards to protect users.
There are numerous dating sites for adults ages 50 and older, including one run by AARP that was launched in 2012.
Young said most sites don't do enough to protect members from known scammers. AARP set up a petition for seniors to sign urging dating sites to expose scammers by looking at language patterns and fake profiles across multiple websites, then issue alerts to users and post tips on how to keep from being duped.
Petitions were initially delivered to top online dating sites such as Match.com, eHarmony, Plenty of Fish, Zoosk, OK Cupid, SeniorPeopleMeet and Our Time. Young said the effort has had good results, but compliance is voluntary and it’s up to users to keep the pressure on to make safeguards a priority.
Seniors can also report scams or suspicious users to the AARP Fraud Watch Network by calling the toll-free number, 1-877-908-3360.
Young shares her own tips for online protection.
- Don't share too much. When you create a profile, don't share everything about yourself. Don't reveal your address, for example, or even your last name. Scammers will try to profile you based on the information you give.
“Older adults, because they’re not online as much, don’t realize how easy it is to access any personal information,” Young said.
- Turn off your location setting. Don't allow predators to know where you are.
- Be a cyber stalker yourself. You can do your own stalking and check out whether the potential suitor is really who they say they are. Is that a real photo, or a glamour shot plucked off the Internet?
- Don't go it alone. Let someone else know what is going on. Older adults may feel a little awkward sharing this information, especially with their adult children, but getting a second opinion from a family member or friend is invaluable.
“The Internet can be a wonderful tool for companionship, but go into it with your eyes wide open,” Young said.
