Ten years ago, people found the idea of online dating strange and unconventional. It did not sit well with a lot of people that one can start flirting or establish an actual relationship with a person whom they haven’t met yet.
Now, so many people have tried it and have found themselves in successful relationships because of it. In fact, people barely flinch when you say you met your spouse through an online dating site. Online dating has been woven in place into our modern culture, and it is just as normal as meeting your next partner at a friend’s wedding.
However, there are so many horror stories regarding online dating. Not everyone succeeds. Some do not get to score a date, while others have to sit through plenty of awkward conversations. And for a select few, not only do they end up not having a proper, loving relationship, but they also get scammed.
This is where an online dating investigation comes in when hiring a private detective in Sydney. If you feel as though the person you are talking to is not who they say they are, you can count on private investigators to reveal the true identity of your online fling.
Read on to learn why investigating a possible online dating scam is important.
You want to know if they are a real person to begin with
Sure, a lot of people on online dating sites will have the same intention as you – single, looking for something either casual or serious, eager to meet new people the soonest possible time. If you happen to match with someone who is looking for the same thing, you would probably be off to a good start.
However, there is a possibility that you will stumble upon an attractive person and maybe have a little chat with them, but something would be quite off with them. Perhaps, they’re using a fake account.
There is a good number of fake accounts on online dating sites. The user of a fake account may be trying to scam people for their money, or they may just be doing it for fun. Plus, the best scammers are excellent at handling a conversation, so much that you may not notice anything wrong. Either way, if you are not careful, you might be duped.
So, you want to make sure that the person you are talking to and are attracted to is a real person. If you notice something isn’t right, call a private investigator to confirm their identity. If the investigation reveals they are a scammer, then good riddance on your part. If they are not, then it might just be their personality or your connection that isn’t right. At least you know for sure.
You want to keep your money where it is
To elaborate on the subject, online dating scammers are most likely after your money. This is why they specifically target those whom they believe have money but are emotionally vulnerable because they are easier to manipulate.
For example, if you are an older man, divorced and retired, you might want to be matched with an attractive young woman. This young woman would seem so eager to please you – it may come to a point when she reveals that she is falling fast in love only after a couple of weeks of talking to you.
This is one example of how a scam starts. They would make you believe they genuinely have feelings for you, manipulate you into sending them money (they may make up stories, for example, a relative has been hospitalised), and then disappear as soon as you have made the transfer. They specifically target older men and women because they are the types of persons who are likely to be yearning for companionship and validation.
This is the blur that online dating creates. Because there is likely going to be feelings involved, you might not notice right away if you are being scammed. Well, it’s understandable to fall for the wrong person. After all, human beings need love and companionship and will do whatever they can to look for a partner in as many places as possible.
However, when it comes to scams, you would rather get extremely disappointed and have your heart royally heartbroken than get money stolen from you. So, as a preventive measure, have a quick online dating investigation performed on the person you are talking to if you sense that they are taking advantage of you.
You want to protect your identity
There is a lot of information you might be casually sharing with a partner – your birthday, your name and face, your friends and family’s information, your address, etc. If things get to a certain level, you might even be sharing explicit photos. These would be totally normal and healthy when done in a properly established relationship.
However, on an online dating platform, things can happen fast. Because of how easy it is to share details with an online fling – and how comfortable and even giddy you feel when texting with them – you might end up sharing a lot about your life. If sensitive information like photos, videos or other types of media fall into the wrong hands, things might not end well. There is plenty that a fraudster can do with this information – from stalking you to sharing your photos with others.
To stop a scammer in their tracks, have a quick investigation performed on them. The best time to do so is anytime, but it would also be an ideal last resort. For example, you have asked to do a video chat with them and they refuse to do so. Or, you have asked to meet them and they give you tons of excuses. Only meeting them would confirm their identity, so if you cannot do that, it would be time to call in some help.
Be proactive and have an online dating investigation done today from a private investigator in Sydney.
When it comes to online dating, many are advised to proceed with caution. We at Sticky Beaks Anon say you should proceed with assurance.