A new threat has presented itself to the world of online dating. “Sweetheart Scammers” are on the prowl, looking for potential victims on popular internet dating websites.
The FBI has coined the term to describe identity thefts who lure their victims through dating websites and chatrooms. Once they’ve found the right person, they court them with gifts bought with stolen credit cards. Finally, the theft will send his new squeeze a fake money order which will ultimately result in money being drained from rather than deposited into their account. Identity thefts also use personal information found on dating sites to track credit card numbers, social security and social insurance numbers and other important information.
To avoid falling victim to this crime, here are a few preventative measures you can take:
Do not use your real name or personal information when using internet dating websites. Create a separate e-mail account when communicating with contacts you’ve met online.
Do not use your regular or work e-mail address as your username on any dating site. There are even some websites that use “double-blind” e-mail method, that restricts each party access to the other’s real identity.
When you’ve decided to continue communication offline, ensure that you are able to block your caller ID and don’t give out your work or home number. Both of these can be used to track your home address and other types of crucial personal information.