Scammers require quite a bit of information about you before they can attempt to reel you in, so limiting their leverage from the start decreases your odds of being targeted. Romance scams are the leading cause of lost money due to scams, and somewhere around 12 percent of people who use online dating have reported running into a scammer. Disturbingly, the profile has your details or pictures uploaded, maybe eve… Read More, Fake news is more than funny satire sites like The Onion. During your first contact with a scammer, they will usually ask what you do for a living. The seller prefers to handle communication by email and not the phone. References Scammers are good at making you believe that you are the one. Once a scammer makes a connection with a victim, they will request money for an emergency (e.g., a hospital bill) or a circumstantial event (e.g., a plane ticket to come see you). Here are 8 ways to spot a fake dating profile and avoid getting sucked into an online dating scam. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. If you’re still unsure, you can always call us at ( 602) 236-8888 to verify the person’s identity. But her cell phone seems to be faulty and her old laptop doesn't have a built in camera. Scam artists don’t have your best interests in mind. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f5\/Spot-an-Online-Dating-Scammer-Step-1-Version-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Spot-an-Online-Dating-Scammer-Step-1-Version-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f5\/Spot-an-Online-Dating-Scammer-Step-1-Version-5.jpg\/aid1767113-v4-728px-Spot-an-Online-Dating-Scammer-Step-1-Version-5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"