Last Updated on April 3, 2023
What Are Catfishing And Catfish Online Dating Scams
Catfishing is a way for people to hide behind a pretty face or a pretty life, and it’s one of the many ways for cybercriminals to lure in unsuspecting victims. This tactic has become so successful that the public must learn more about how these scams work to avoid becoming victims. This blog will tell you the ins and outs of Catfish Online Dating Scams and what you can do to prevent their danger.
How do catfish scams work?
Cybercriminals do their best to make people think they are whom they claim to be. They create dozens of online dating profiles and social media accounts that look like they belong to real people. The scam works by them reaching out to victims and claiming they have a romantic or sexual interest.
They will start with compliments and slowly get their victims to trust them. Once trust is formed, they will get their victims to share more about themselves, including personal information like family, friends, work, and sexual content.
The idea is to gather as much information as possible and use it for online blackmail. If sexual images or videos were exchanged, they would use that content and threaten to expose it to family, friends, work, and their public social media accounts if their demands for money are not given.
Catfishing online dating scams is difficult for victims to handle on their own and disrupts their lives. These criminals will harass and threaten their victims daily until they give in, and most times, even after their ransom is paid, they will continuously come back asking for more demands.
How do I know if I am talking to a scammer?
Although these criminals are good at creating catfish profiles, they also have many red flags. Here are some tips on how to identify an online scammer.
· Requests for too much personal information way too soon into talking.
· Refusing to meet in person or via video chat.
· Limited number of photos on their profile or poor quality.
· Pressure to send sexual content.
· Asks for your other social media accounts and moves communication from platform to platform.
How to Avoid Catfish Online Dating Scams
Scammers consistently lurk on almost every online platform, but that doesn’t mean you can’t protect yourself from their wrath. Here are ways you can avoid becoming their next target.
Be wary of any potential dates that seem too good to be true. If someone’s profile looks too sketchy, with limited and poor-quality photos or a vaguely detailed biography, it might be a red flag that they are
hiding something. If the person refuses video chat or refuses to answer simple questions about themselves, that could also be a sign that they are not who they say they are.
Another thing to watch out for is requests for money. Most online scammers will try to get money from you somehow, whether asking for money directly or gaining access to your bank account details so they can make transfers without your knowledge. Be extra cautious if someone you don’t know well starts asking for favors like wiring them money or giving them access to your computer or financial accounts.
Never give out personal information like bank account numbers or passwords online, no matter how sincere someone may seem. Finally, never send explicit images or videos of yourself to someone you have just met on the internet. You never truly know who is sitting behind that screen, and it’s hard to erase something once it’s out of your hands.
How to Report a Dating Scam
Every dating platform has a reporting option available to its users. Make sure to document the threats and harassment and report the scammers dating profile to the platform where the conversation began. We also recommend reporting the crime to the authorities.
Catfish Online Dating Scams online is not a crime; however, catfishing someone and extorting and blackmailing them out of money is! Go to your local police station and provide them with the evidence you have gathered. We also recommend reporting to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. There may be a waiting time to get some assistance. This is why incorporating a cyber investigator will also be helpful. They specialize in cybercrimes like blackmail and extortion and will be able to help promptly.
Dating scams are common, so we should always be cautious when looking for love online because scammers prey on unsuspecting victims daily. By being aware of the signs of a scammer—such as suspicious profiles, requests for money, and refusal of video chat—you can help protect yourself from falling victim to one of these schemes. Additionally, researching ahead of time can help you verify any potential date’s identity and keep yourself safe while you search for that special someone online! Contact our sextortion helpline if you faced with dating scams
