The number of online dating websites and applications have increased tremendously. Given the number of single people or rise in the statistics of broken relationships, the use of dating applications have helped individuals in finding the right partners for themselves. But, the question arises on whether every profile created on the dating applications is reliable enough and how trustworthy are people on these applications or websites. There are several reported cases wherein individuals have identified fake profiles or individuals who do not create profiles for the purpose of finding a partner but to extract money or other valuables. It is thus extremely important for individuals who are seriously looking for a potential lifetime partner to be beware of scammers and predators.
Majority of the time, the profiles tend to look genuine and the pictures are excellent to lure people into making assumptions and trusting them to explore their options. There are several warning signs that a person should look into and account for the red flags before a match is made or you even start talking to a person on these applications. This article will assist the readers in understanding how to spot a fake dating profile. Learning about these warning signs will make things easier and open doors to potential matches.
The Profile Content is Too Ideal
As the individuals running the fake profiles have a target group in mind, they are likely to add ideal information in their profiles to attract their target individuals. They deliberately use words, phrases and information that would impress the target market and get them the response that they desire. The backgrounds created may be fictitious as well and so the storylines should be checked out before the right decision is made. A genuine person should work towards making sure that every detail added to the profile is scrutinised to ensure that the perfection is not a disguise.
Limited Pictures or Photos
Many profile pictures have a limited number of photos and there may be inconsistencies in them. It is advisable to check all the pictures. It is also recommended that the social media profiles of the individuals are reviewed and checked out thoroughly before trusting them enough. Extensive research about the background of the individual should be done thoroughly. A request of the recent pictures of the individual should also be done. To be entirely sure about the genuineness of the profile, a request for a video call can be made to make sure the person in the picture is real and there are no deceptions being made with the use of someone else’s picture.
Missing Social Media Handles
If the individual does not have social media profiles then it is a big red flag. On the other hand, if the social media profiles exist, then their evaluation should also be done. For example, there are several factors that should be checked out like activeness, last updated time, the number of friends and the overall number of activities done on the profile. A real person would have several friends and family members and over 100 friends at least. Fake profiles tend to have few friends and the history is also questionable. A real and authentic profile would have images, posts or other types of content that reflects their personality. These factors help an individual in remaining cautious.
Nature of the People
An individual who is a fraud would want to grab the opportunity to interact with everyone that they come across. The frauds would want to send their model-type pictures from the beginning and try to lure the other individual into believing that they are a catch. Such individuals are very straightforward and flirtatious in nature. They tend to send flirty messages and engage in the sexual desires. The fraudulent behaviour is also reflective when the discussion on finances starts. It is critical to find patterns in the conversations and make sure that the concentration is not on the finances alone.
Presentation of Being Famous or Influential
Majority of the fraudsters tend to portray themselves as influential people or famous human beings. Everyone in this world would love to be associated or in relationship with an influential family or individual and enjoy the riches and fame that comes along with it. This is exactly the kind of behaviour that the frauds understand and tend to portray themselves to be the same. It helps them gain attention from the maximum number of people from the opposite sex. In order to escape this, it is important to do a Google Search and find the identity of the person that they are trying to portray. The paparazzi tend to capture the pictures and information of influential people and with the search methodology, you will be able to verify the information that is given to you by the individual.
Personal Information Sharing
A fraud individual would also want to gain access to your personal information in the highest possible manner. They will ask for your address, number, social security information and more. It is critical to protect your personal information and become very upfront about the same. Be comfortable in saying ‘No’ and make sure you share only the information that wouldn’t cause trouble to you. Find excuses to deny the requests and make sure you do a background check while you do the same.
Exchange of Links
It is very suspicious if an individual wants you to open varied websites or join groups. They will send you links to the same and would want you to check out information from time to time. These are cases where viruses are sent to your devices to take out confidential information. If you sense that someone is sending you too many links to open and check for data, then beware of the scam and refrain from engaging with such individuals as well. The best way to tackle such individuals is to stop interaction. The more red flags you see, the more you should remain alert.
