If you have been trying online dating you may have noticed that dating websites and apps can be tricky and dangerous. It is not easy to dodge all the fake profiles when most platforms are flooded with professional scammers. Match.com and Plenty of Fish are a good example of this.

Match.com is one of the largest dating sites and one of the first to exist. Its launch helped the online dating industry become the multimillion dollar business it is today. Match Group operates currently some of the most successful dating sites, like Match.com, POF, Tinder and OK Cupid. The downside is that the success of these sites is also an opportunity for online criminals to do business.

Match and POF are not the only dating sites that have romance scammers. Philippines investigators say that romance scam cases are coming from Filipino cupid, Asian Dating, Blossoms and many other platforms. No dating site is particularly vulnerable or prompt to fraud, they are all out of control because verifying the identity of every single user is not an easy task.

For all of these sites, the goal is always to match one profile to another based on their characteristics: age, interests, etc. A lot of people using dating sites are sincere and honest in the information they provide and in their reasons for joining. However, romance scammers in the Philippines abound and despite the warnings they still remain a high threat to users of dating platforms. This is why you need to be aware of how to keep yourself -especially your savings and your personal information.

How to stay safe?

Philippines private detectives say the first step to be safe is to understand how dating scams work. Scammers typically create fake online profiles designed to lure you in, either using a fake name or falsely adopting the identities of real people. The trick is not to try to outsmart the criminal, but to be cautious and look for professional help.

Being skeptical is essential in any online relationship. Once you determine that the Filipina you met online is someone you like, hire a local investigation firm to conduct a background check in the Philippines as soon as possible. Make the decision to verify the person you have been communicating with sooner rather than later. Taking this step right at the beginning of the relationship will avoid trouble later. Private investigations are a good investment if your goal is to find a life partner online.

Pay attention to red flags. Dating and romance scammers will express strong emotions for you in a relatively short period of time, and usually suggest you move the relationship away from the website to a more private channel, such as Hangouts, Messenger, or Skype. The real reason to switch to other forms of communication is that it is easier to remain anonymous and hide their tracks after leaving the dating site. Once the scammer gains the trust of their victim, even if it takes months or years, they will move forward with money requests.

Ask as many questions as you can to your date. Information is the clue to verifying and investigating. In order to conduct a dating background check to verify the identity of this person, a private investigator will request basic information such as the name and date of birth of the subject. However, the more information you may have, the more that can be verified.

Keep in mind that many of the cases of romance scam originating in the Philippines are conducted by real people, using their real identity. Sometimes, the background check is not enough to determine whether or not you are being tricked. Once the identity is verified, it is critical to conduct surveillance and a local investigation in the Philippines to determine if the subject is honest about their whereabouts and relationship status. Being thousands of miles away makes fraudsters’ job easy to carry along.

C. Wright
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