Romance scams are very popular, from catfishing to stealing your information and even money. Hundreds of love seekers online have been victimized by romance scams, but this doesn’t mean that you have to stop searching for love online. Whether you’re someone who just wants to be cautious and prepared, or you’ve been scammed, then knowing the process of reporting a scam would be best.
I will be sharing with you some of the processes of reporting a scam, so you’d know what to do when you get scammed. Continue reading the information below and let me walk you through the process of reporting a scam.
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Make Copies of Everything
Visit the FBI’s Website
Visiting FBI’s website is the first thing that you need to do once you have copies of everything. FBI offers help to people who have been victimized by these scammers no matter which state you live. You can also go to the local authorities if you want to, but they may not be able to help that much.
Collecting More Information
The next thing that you need to do is to gather as many information that you can. You can collect names, IDs that were used, the site where you first communicated, addresses, bank information or Western Union information, money sent, and the kind of scam as well. It would be great if you can get the IP address of the person who scammed you.
Call Your Banks
You also need to contact your banks to change everything that there is to change. Update your information if needed because you can be a victim of identity theft as well. This can become a problem because the scammer might get into your accounts and steal more of your money.
Go To A Payment Center
You should go to the place where you sent the money from. The reason behind this is because there will be some instances where you can still cancel the payment. If you sent via Western Union, then worry not because there are instances where payments can be called. Usually, this can happen if the receiver has not yet claimed the money yet.
Avoid Strangers Who Contact You
If you have been already been a victim, your name will be added to their contacts. More scammers will start contacting you in different ways, and the best thing that you can do is to ignore and block them. No matter what they do or what they say, or how truthful they may seem, avoid contacting at all cost.
Warning Signs That They Are A Scammer
There are significant warning signs that will help you know if you are talking to a scammer. Check them out below and make yourself aware:
Sending Photos
Other Means of Communication
The scammer will start luring you out of the online dating website. For instance, he might suggest that the two of you should talk somewhere else. It can be through your mobile number or through email, anywhere, for as long as not inside the website. Majority of the online dating websites today remove suspicious members, and they don’t want it to lead to that. So transferring to another means of communication is their solution.
Confesses Love Almost Immediately
This is a clear sign that they are a scammer. They will start confessing love almost immediately, even just days after talking. They will make you believe that they fell deeply for you. Once you believe them, this is where all the scamming will start, from stealing your identity to stealing your money.
Sharing Problems And Asking For Help
Once they get your attention, they will start sharing his problems with you. It can be problems about a family member who needs a major operation almost immediately. The scammer will pretend that money is a problem and is looking for someone who can help. If you don’t start initiating for help, he might ask you for it. It can be a small amount which will eventually increase as the day goes by.
Reporting a Scam on Dating Sites
Below you will find scam reporting instructions for each major dating site on the web today. It varies how you can report if you feel a profile is suspicious. Some dating sites have a Contact Form that you can fill out with details. Others have an option inside the app where you can report a user for suspicious behavior. Whatever the process, it will be outlined in the following links:
- Adult Friend Finder
- American Singles
- Asian Friend Finder
- Asian Singles
- BBPeople Meet
- Big Church
- Black People Meet
- Black Planet
- Black Singles
- Christian Mingle
- Cupid
- Cupid Bay
- Deaf Singles Meet
- Eharmony
- Friend Finder
- Hi 5
- Interracial Match
- JDate
- LDS Singles
- Match
- Perfect Match
- Senior Friend Finder
- Single Parent Meet
- Skype
- Spark
- Tango Wire
- Yahoo IM
- Yahoo Profiles
- Yahoo UK
Guideline Message to Use in Reporting Scammers to Dating Websites
The following generic message can be used as a guideline for reporting suspicious profiles:
Hello,
You have a scammer profile posted, which is: (INSERT MEMBER NAME & ID # HERE)
I have a great deal of experience with spotting these profiles, and this is DEFINITELY a scammer. I HAVE CONFIRMED THIS BY VISITING (INSERT THE NAME OF THE WEBSITE HERE) WEBSITE, WHERE I PERSONALLY IDENTIFIED THE STOLEN PICTURE.
I understand that you cannot look at every profile that is posted, so I am providing you and others with this free help, so that the world of online dating may eventually become “scammer-free”.
I encourage you to remove this profile and/or contact the person that posted it. I assure you they will be unable to tell you anything about where they “claim”, they are from, for they are most likely in Nigeria. And they will also be unable to effectively communicate their desire for a genuine relationship.
You will be doing your industry and the world at large a tremendous service to deal with this quickly and decisively.
Thank You,
(Your Name)
Make sure that you are sure the profile is actually suspicious. If you have had direct contact with the profile person, then take screenshots, or save the conversations so you have proof. If you have found the person’s image on other websites online via reverse image search, ensure you save the link to the website, what date and time you visited the site, which browser was used, and any other details. All of this information will help the dating sites validate your request and ban the profile.
Conclusion
These are the process for reporting a scam that you should be aware of and as well as the warning signs. If you have been victimized, make sure to notify them immediately. Joining online dating sites is definitely okay, but it is essential to be aware of who you talk to. You can browse and do online dating without coming across scammers who will only fool you for your money.
