It may not be a surprise that scammers love to take advantage of those seeking a romance online, but what may be a surprise is the length that some of these scammers will go to in order to take your money.
Online romance scammers have existed for decades; but the ratio of scammers has skyrocketed, mostly due to the prominence of online dating websites. This gives scammers a much better atmosphere to lure in their victims than the old dating boards ever did.
Many people are brain boggled when it relates to outing these individuals; and that is why we have created this help guide. After reading this guide, you will know more than the basics of what to look for and how to protect yourself.
Quick Navigation
Filipina Dating Scam: Common Formats
The Visa Scam
Initial Contact
Most online dating scams begin with the victim being contacted online; using a social media or a dating website. Most victims of this scam are usually okay with dating foreigners or having long-distance relationships, at least temporarily. Nonetheless, initially, both parties will casually talk about general topics for roughly a week.
Romance Trance
After the first week is over, the victim may begin being told by the scammer that he loves her or that both of them meeting online is “destiny.” This is obviously not the case, as it is simply used to bring the victim into a romance trance. This trance makes the victim a little more susceptible to his future plans.
Lack of Funds
When the scammer thinks that he has groomed his victim enough, he will mention that he would love to come see her — except he has run into a problem; lack of funds for flight. Once he has asked this question, and innocently sounding enough, the victim, excited to see what destiny has in store, eagerly sends the money.
No Visa
However, once the victim sends the funds for the flight, she will quickly hear back from him with another complaint — lack of funds for random fees, such as travel expenses. There is one last thing he ‘forgets’ to mention before requesting the money for his plane ticket — a Visa.
A Broken Heart
He will explain that in order to follow through with the flight, he will need to purchase a Visa. They may even create a false scenario and explain that he needs a certain amount in his bank account to cross into the border. Not only does this leave the victim with a suffering bank account, but a broken heart as well.
Webcam Scam
Scammer Requests Video Chat
Once both parties have chatted for a little while, let’s use two weeks as an example, the scammer will mention that he would love to video chat with the victim. This, however, isn’t possible, as the scammer lacks the funds to purchase this webcam.
Requesting Funds for Said Webcam
So this is when the scammer requests the victim to send him the money so that he can buy one. That may also hold true for a similar scam — requesting money to visit an internet cafe; allowing the scammer to use their webcam.
Most Devices Have Webcams
This is obviously untrue, as these are typically the scammers who are new to the romance scam industry — but these are definitely worth watching for. Besides, most devices have webcams now; whether it be smartphones, tablets or laptops.
Living Fee Scam
Keyword Methods
As mentioned in the Visa scam, this scam also starts out with the scammer quickly pulling you into a romantic trance using keyword methods. This can be anything from telling you that you both met by fate, that it is destiny or they love you more than you could imagine; you know the drill by now.
Unexpected Expenses
However, once the scammer is confident enough with your vulnerability by the trance that she has dragged you into, she will mention that she has lost her job or had some unexpected expenses arise, and that she needs help making her bills on time.
Money Sent
Still in a trance-like state, the victim sends the money and is almost immediately locked into a never ending process of sending money to the scammer, because this will go on indefinitely until the victim finally picks up on it. When asked for money — abort!
Preventing Filipina Dating Scams
Request A Video Call
When or if you notice anything that may be suspicious, request a video call. If they avoid the video call on more than one occasion, this should raise a red flag. If you have the chance to see them on video call, however, ask hard questions and pay attention to their facial expressions. Most all modern devices have webcams; so if they deny this, you should be careful.
Ask To Call Them
Most scammers avoid video and phone calls, so asking them to hop on a phone can help you determine their honesty. If they deny or simply make excuses, then this is not a good sign. Talking over the phone can help you distinguish whether they are using a script through text, as this is easier to catch with actually hearing it.
Browse Their Social Media
Many scammers forget to create a strong social media structure. If you feel suspicious, try checking their social media profiles. Doing so will allow you to not only check their profile photos, but also allow you to see their engagement. If there isn’t much engagement, such as a low friend count or lack of comments, this may be a red flag — especially if the account is new.
Things To Keep In Mind
Never Send Money
When asked for money on the internet, this should immediately raise a red flag. Never send money to anyone online; especially when it relates to online dating. This almost always leads to being scammed.
Don’t Fall For A Quick Romance
Although on occasion an individual may be sincere, falling in love within a week is nearly impossible online. Do not dive into this thinking you are an exception, though. When they start to mention keywords such as “Fate” or “Destiny” within the first week — find the block button; using this will save you time, money and heartbreak.
Do Not Send Personal Information
Personal information should stay that way — personal. When asked for any personal information such as your social security number or banking details, block and report this person immediately. Following through and sending this can lead to many legal issues.
Webcam Story:
The victim was initially contacted on an online dating app called OkCupid. The victim did not usually have many matches, so when he finally matched with someone, he was beyond excited. After matching with the woman, he immediately messaged her and she responded almost instantly; asking to move over to Skype to continue the conversation.
Ecstatic about it, he agrees and logs on. This, however, quickly moves to very explicit activities and leads to a very scary and sudden threat of “I’ve recorded our session, send me money or I will send it to your relatives and friends.” This cautionary tale should serve as a warning that you should always be extremely careful when online dating. It can obviously take a turn for the worse very quickly. Take what you have learned here and implement it into your online dating experience: Stay vigilant! Click here to read more about this story and more like it