Online romance scams are one of the major reasons why people lose their money and different opportunities in their life. Private investigator Toronto rates online romance scams as one of the top 5 ways people lose their money and faith in relationships.
If the latest statistics are to be believed, online romance scams have tremendously increased in the US alone reaching up to $230 million. And so, instead of falling prey to such romance scams, you must take some preventative measures.
This blog is not to discourage you from dating other people but wants to make you aware of potential dangers too. Our private investigators want you to take all possible preventative measures to avoid such situations. Here are some ways suggested by our team.
- Initially make sure to stay only on dating websites
When you initially meet someone on the dating websites, try to keep the interaction only on the dating websites. If the person is asking to shift on social media or private messenger such as WhatsApp, Viber, KIK, or asking for your phone number, they might have other motives.
- Photo verification
This is a common trait among all scammers and that is faking their entire backstory. And to support their claims, they will also put photographs that will look authentic. So, double verify the photos you see on dating websites. Try to search for photographs to find if the photo turns up with a different name. Or look at its metadata to verify the location and does it corroborate with what they told you.
- Ask for a video chat
Most times scammers will avoid video chat when asked. However, make sure you insist on talking through video chat. If they agree and chat with you on a video call, you at least know that this potential partner is not a scammer. However, if they avoid or skip video calling, chances are they are scammers or hiding something.
- Don’t fall for soldiers who ask for money
Experienced private investigator Brampton says that you should stay away from soldiers who ask for money. Online scammers sometimes pose like soldiers who are stuck in another country or on a secret mission. Now, get this, any soldier who is on a secret mission will never tell you that they are on a secret mission! So, stay away from such bogus claims.
- Don’t send money to strangers
Online scammers want money from you. But they will get tired if you don’t give them anything. So, always remember, if you haven’t met them personally and spent some quality time with them, they are just like any other stranger. Don’t give money or any other valuable asset to them!
If you still feel that the person you are dating might be a scammer, get in touch with us at Integrity Investigations. Our certified and experienced private investigator Mississauga will perform thorough due diligence on this person.
We also provide other investigation services for individuals and businesses. Get in touch with us now to know more.