Scammed in Online Dating? – Tips For What Actions to Take

Online dating and other online interactions have gotten safer with the passing years. That has lead to more and more people taking their safety a little bit for granted. That especially applies to online daters who enter the dating scene with sincere wishes of finding their ideal partner. What they don’t focus on is how to best protect themselves and their personal information.

What we suggest is to educate yourself as best as you can about how to avoid these situations in the first place. However, if you end up in a situation where you think you have been scammed then firstly you need to stay calm. Next, you need to figure out what to do. In this article, we are going to take a look at some possible scamming scenarios and offering advice on what to do. Let’s see what the best course of action is:

1. You have given someone your bank information.

Almost everyone that has been in a similar situation says that they never though they would give out their bank information to someone they have only met online. However, people often forget that when it comes to matters of the heart, often emotions influence our decision making. If you’ve given out your bank information to someone you can either get new PINS, change your password or close your account entirely.

2. You have been scammed on your credit card.

Something like this can happen when you sign up to an online dating portal that isn’t credible. They may have hidden fees that they charge behind your back. What you need to do here is to is contact your bank, have them block your card. It is likely that you are going to need a new account altogether.

3. You have been scammed with identity theft.

Out of all possible scams, this is likely the most serious one considering that it is your name on the line. The first thing to do is to start keeping a journal where you list all activities your name has been involved in since you first noticed the theft. Next, call your credit card company and have them freeze your account(s). Then, file a complaint with the police and when you are finished with them – contact the National Consumers League at Fraud.org.

4. You have been scammed out of money.

That is a common occurrence in online dating. A man meets a beautiful woman online and after a series of dates, the woman asks for money. The man does not want to turn her down and sends her money. After that, he can’t get in contact with her anymore. It is crucial to understand the number one law of online dating – never send money to a stranger online. Report the person to the authorities on the portal and the police if you choose to do so. However, it is important to realize that in a situation such as this you are not likely to see your money again.