Big News Story about Fake Dating Profiles as Reported by CBS News
If you’re dating after 40 and looking for love, you may be worried about online dating and potential scammers. Now you may have bigger worries. News broke today about the FTC fining a UK company JDI dating for using fake profiles to encourage people to upgrade to a paid membership. How naughty JDI! The fine for this fraudulent practice will cost the company over $616,000. This is the first time the FTC has take action against a dating site.
Now don’t get too nervous. Most of what happens on dating sites just requires common sense to easily avoid trouble. How can you tell if a dating profile is fake and made up by the company to trick you into becoming a member? Or what can tip you off about dating profiles written by individual scammers? Check out these five online dating profile tips that will keep you safe and help you find love at the same time.
5 Ways to Spot Fake Dating Profiles
1) If the grammar is really bad and you can tell this is not a person who speaks English well, it’s probably a scammer from Nigeria, Russia or elsewhere. Skip this profile and move on – there are millions of other possibilities.
2) If you’re online and get a message from a man to check him out on another site, this could be an invitation to a porn site. Get to know people first through a couple of emails before hopping over to see them on other sites or in person.
3) If an amazingly good looking guy contacts you, but you haven’t posted a photo yet, that’s a sure sign something is wrong. Very few people contact cyber-daters without photos, which is certainly a word to the wise. If you’re trying online dating, don’t bother if you won’t post a photo. Your results will be dismal. People with photos are contacted by 16 times more prospects!
4) If someone you’ve been emailing with asks for personal information like your full name, where you work or live, or even your bank account (it does happen), simply stop communicating with them. Safeguard your privacy until you get to know anyone you date.
One of my clients told a man she worked at a local real estate company and he showed up to ask her out for lunch. He wasn’t creepy or dangerous, but he sure didn’t understand boundaries or privacy. Be safe and don’t share your personal information until after a few dates and tell him on a need to know basis.
5) If you get a message from a man that is so good it’s hard to believe you could be that lucky, think twice. He may be the dream boat you’ve hoped for or a player who knows what women like to hear. Don’t let a man manipulate you into abandoning your rational mind and throw caution to the wind.
If you find yourself thinking, “Could this really be happening to me?” slow down that whirlwind romance. What might be happening is not love at all, but another notch on a man’s bedpost. Yes, the guy who says he’s waited all his life to meet a woman like you may be completely honest and harmless, but my online dating tip for you is to avoid diving in. Take your time getting to know the men you meet – there is no rush when true love is on the table.
My Clients Have All Been Safe Using Dating Sites
After 12 years as a dating coach for women, I have never had a client tell me she got scammed or felt threatened in any way. Online dating profiles offer plenty of clues about who people are. But the truth is you still have to meet the men to know if there is any chemistry and true potential. Your common sense is your best defense, so be sure to rely on it. Also ask a friend for an opinion about anything that seems fishy.
Another smart option is to hire me to help you write your online dating profile and share my guidance about the entire process. it’s not as obvious as you think and some insider information can make a big difference in how fast you find love.
Single for too long, Ronnie wanted to find love. She put her skills from personal development and her spiritual path to work, dating 30 men in 15 months to meet her adorable husband Paul. Discovering the keys to manifesting and midlife dating, she founded It’s Never Too Late to help smart, successful women find love or live an empowered and magical life. Ronnie Ann Ryan, MBA, CCC, is a Certified Coach who has helped 1,000s of midlife women with her Love & Magical Life Coach services. She’s the host of the Breathe Love & Magic podcast and has been featured on NBC, ABC, & Fox News, NPR, BBC, eHarmony, MSN.com, and Connecticut Magazine among others. Also, Ronnie is the author of 6 books which are available on Amazon.
