What can I do if I’ve fallen for a fake profile?

Millions of people worldwide rely on dating platforms to find true love. Fittingly, there are hundreds of different portals on the Internet these days. New contacts and great love are often promised. High security standards and guaranteed hand-checked profiles are what many websites promise. Most users often blindly trust the operators of dating sites. But the reality is that even the best operators cannot promise 100% security. Fictional profiles and scammers repeatedly sneak onto well-known dating portals and try to involve the real users of the websites in a chat to get their money.

In addition to fictitious profiles on very popular and widely used dating sites, there are also numerous smaller platforms on the Internet. Particular caution is advised here. Many providers work with external moderators to increase their sales through fictitious profiles. The user is often lured into an expensive subscription. Or chatting is only possible using a high-priced internal currency. Falling for fake profiles is very annoying. The following article provides some hints and tips on how to recognize fake profiles and the necessary steps to take after being scamed by a fake profile.

Early detection of fake profiles

Detecting fake profiles on websites that only work with fictitious profiles is actually quite easy. However, such platforms can still pose a great danger for inexperienced or older members. If you immediately receive messages from supposedly interested people after you register, you can assume that these messages are coming from fictitious profiles. Initial contact by real users usually takes some time.

The members’ profiles can also provide information about possible fictitious users. If you find a lot of revealing pictures here, you can assume that the profiles are fictitious. Some websites also display a small symbol, such as a heart, on profiles. This usually indicates a fictitious user. If an expensive internal currency or a subscription for the chat is offered, you should also be very careful. The terms and conditions often provide more detailed information about possible fake profiles by searching for certain keywords such as “moderators” or “fictitious profiles”.

Fake profiles on reputable dating platforms

If you primarily use the best-known portals such as Tinder, you don’t expect fake profiles. Especially since there should be great security measures here. However, contact with fictitious users can still occur. Recognizing these is not as easy as with other platforms. But it is important to take a closer look at the profile itself. If you see very revealing images and the profile information is not clearly visible, it could be a fictitious profile.

Fictitious profiles can also be recognized during chatting. They often pursue a very specific goal – sending large amounts of money. If such a demand is made in the chat after some time, you should be very careful. You can also ask for a contact on social networks. Here, fake profiles either do not have an account or have one that is very simple. The fake is then easy to recognize. Video chats are also often rejected by such fake profiles for obvious reasons.

Steps after a scam has occurred

Anyone who has fallen victim to a fake profile should act as fast as possible. It is important to first track the chat history yourself. Anyone who has already disclosed personal data here should take appropriate security measures to monitor and protect their data and possible financial transactions. Screenshots of the fake profile and the conversations with this person are also important. In bigger cases of fraud, these can later be passed on to the police for a report. The corresponding profile of the fictitious person should of course be reported to the website operator. Any conversation should then cease.

Anyone who has already sent more detailed data or money should go to the police right away and file a report. If you transferred money, you should also contact your bank. Sometimes it’s possible to trace and reverse the transfer. If you spent money to engage in the chat with a scammer then you are unlikely to get that money back unfortunately. The operators often protect themselves with the general terms and conditions.

The time after the scam

Whether you lost money on to a fictitious profile or were just fooled in a long chat, such an experience can put a strain on your trust in dating sites and your own psyche. Those affected should therefore first take some time to process the events. Friends or family can also help to deal with this situation better. Going straight back to dating sites might not be a good idea.

Anyone returning to dating sites after such an encounter needs to be more cautious. The next platform should first be examined closely. To identify a user profile that’s fake request a real meeting or at least a video chat. A fake wouldn’t want to meet in real life. And always be very cautious before giving out personal information or sending money. A conversation should develop naturally on the platform. Direct questions about personal information or money should be stopped immediately and the profile reported.

Conclusion

Let’s review the most essential points to recognize fake profiles. These profiles often upload very revealing pictures to generate interest. The superficial chat soon changes direction, and they request either personal data or even money to be transferred. Some websites state in their terms and conditions that conversations are virtual with fictitious profiles. These profiles on such portals are often marked with a small symbol.

In the event of fraud, the relevant profile should be reported immediately. Screenshots of the conversations can be important for the police. If money has already been sent, the bank may be able to help. Ultimately, dating portals offer a great opportunity to conveniently and quickly find numerous new people in the area for a relationship. Anyone who decides to use a website should read possible reviews of these websites and find out more about the security of the site.