As the World Wide Web slowly grows in terms of the information we can harness, it would make sense that we actually use it for whatever we think fits our needs. Even the notion of online dating has become even more popular these days, with people from all over the world flirting and falling in love.

However, one should keep in mind that there is certainly also an online dating scam, with countless dishonest people making use of this convenient form of socialization to rip people off of their money. Here are a number of things to keep in mind if you must choose to participate in online dating:

Check the person’s profile. Many people create online dating accounts and use fake photos that are obviously fake at first glance. Of course, this will already make you doubt if the profile is legitimate or just another fraud. If there are multiple photos in the profile, check out the drastic differences between them. Also, it can be quite easy for a fake profile owner to steal other people’s photos from their own accounts and post them as their own.

Read the messages constantly. If you are in contact with someone who has a profile on the online dating scene, always pay attention to the message they send you. Sometimes specific posts contain unreasonable or illogical content that doesn’t make a lot of sense at all. In fact, many online daters with fake accounts frequently send messages that contain quite romantic words and how they would like to meet you, but don’t keep their profiles “active” or open to everyone. There are also several other people who might send you a message saying that “anyone agrees with me.” This smells of desperation and a way to win sympathy. This is something to watch out for.

Be on the lookout for those who want to communicate with you outside of the website. This is one of the most common hallmarks of an online dating scam. If someone intends to contact you via your personal email or off-site messaging, and you barely know them, go ahead. There are some people who simply want you to reveal a more intimate side and use it to their advantage, so you risk your credibility if you decide to fulfill their desires.