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Online Dating Scam Warning from Office of Fair Trading

It has issued the following information on its website:

'An online dating scam is when a scammer, male or female, creates a false personal profile and makes contact with you via an online dating agency or even a specialised chat room. The scammer says that they are seeking romance or a soul mate but are really out to steal not only your heart but your cash too.

Scammers can sign up to online dating agencies or chat rooms just like anyone else. Many online dating sites allow anyone to join for free, and they usually do not screen their members. Scammers take advantage of the anonymity of the internet to create the profile of your perfect match and make any number of promises to attract you and cause you to let your defences down.

How do I know it is a scam?

The scammer will ask for your money! This will not happen immediately - however, before long the scammer will ask for financial help for any number of reasons. Almost always, they will ask you to send money using an untraceable source such as a telegraphic money transfer. Some of the most common reasons they give for why they need your help include:

Other signs are:

If you have already sent money there is little chance of you ever recovering it from them. However what you can do is:
call your local authority or advice and to report the matter report the scam to the dating or chat room site where you met the person.'

Source: Brand Republic and The Office of Fair Trading

Online dating scams

This suggestion comes from Adam: I just wanted to notify you of a type of scam that is going on with some of the dating sites.

Basically, the scam is to get a guy to set up a PayPal account using a credit card. Here is what I have experienced (luckily, I was smart enough not to fall for it):

A guy starts communicating with a "woman" (the pictures are attractive). Initial contact between victim and scam artist is to take the step in starting a relationship.

The artist then explains that they are in another country (usually Africa: Nigeria or Mali, but England is also being used), and that they will not be returning to the States for another two weeks.

The artists may even send more pictures to the victim's e-mail address to "legitimize" cooperation of starting a relationship. Upon finding out more information about the "nice looking woman" -- her parents died in a tragic accident and she has no family or friends who can help her stateside, or she was abandoned by her previous boyfriend in said country with no money to get home -- this is where I become skeptical and ask if they have gone to the embassy or local church to find assistance to return home. After all, I barely know these "women."

Once I tell them that I cannot help them with any kind of financial help, contact almost always ceases. Although it is embarrassing to admit, I believe this information will help others.

Sometimes the sad story includes a jewelry merchant selling diamonds and needing the PayPal account for their clients to deposit money in a secure American account that will yield a better profit for the jewelry company.

It sounded too sketchy to me, and I recognized it for the scam factor. I tell them that I have heard their story before, and then they stop contact.

Luckily, the dating sites that I use have an option to report abuse, and I do my best to report each case. I hope this will help others who are a bit more gullible than myself. Thanks for getting the word out.