Expert: Marlene - 8/1/2009

Question
How do I know if I am dealing with a scammer on an on-line dating site?  What are the signs?  

Thank you

Joe

Answer
Hi Joe,

Not all the things on this list are equally alerting and not all of them necessarily mean scam, however, if he/she generally fits the patten, it is most likely a scam!

- Their profile picture looks professionally done and can be found on a modeling web site
- Their height/weight is not proportional; for example:  6' and 95 pounds
- They claim to have blonde hair and blue eyes when the picture is dark hair and brown eyes or
 vice-versa
- Their specified age range seems to have no limit; for example, 25 - 60
- Their occupation is often an "Engineer" of some sort for men and "Model" for women
- They immediately want to get off of the website and on a Yahoo IM
- Their grammar is not consistent with how Americans speak, French speak, etc.
- They do not like to answer personal questions about themselves and tend to ignore questions
- They claim it was destiny or fate and you are meant to be together
- They claim to love you usually within 24 to 48 hours
- They will send you a money order or check and ask you to cash it for them and wire the
 money to them via Western Union
- They claim they have been mugged and have no money and are being held hostage at a hotel
 and will not be allowed to leave until they pay
- There is always some desperate story as to why you have to send money
- They immediately start using pet names with you; for example, hon/hon baby/babe/sweetie
- If you ask them a question they will usually be offline for a length of time so they can
 go look up the answer on the Internet
- If you call them a scammer, they are highly offended
- They will pull on your heart strings for only one reason; to get you to send them money

A "normal" person would not ask you for money or goods.  If they do, you are being scammed.

Kind regards,

Marlene