Adam Levin returned as the resident identity theft expert on “Sway in the Morning” with MTV’s Sway Calloway. This time they discussed the perils of on-line dating.
Catfishers are one of many scam artists who troll online dating sites and prey on lonely hearts. They virtually woo their mark with love poems, sexy phone calls and texts, dreamy pictures and the promise of eternal love. In the end, these bottom feeders are simply digital gold diggers.
The 7 red flags to avoid being catfished:
1. If they only email and text, their phone dies or their webcam is on the fritz. Their pics look like a photo shoot and there is always an excuse as to why they can’t meet you, they are probably not who they say they are.
2. They sound like a bad “B Movie”. Your Romeo or Juliette’s accent does not match where they say they are from. They send you emails and texts with poor grammar and awkward phrases. They are most likely reading from a script and you are the sucker in their movie.
3. They move way to fast. If after 3 texts or phone calls, this person wants to marry you or have children, run.
4. Be suspicious of someone who is a drama king or queen. If they contact you with constant emergencies and always need your financial help, they are scamming you.
5. Never send Selfies or pics you don’t want broadcast all over the internet. If someone relentlessly requests pics of you in compromising positions or a video chat not ready for primetime, don’t engage. Scammers use this data to blackmail you later.
6. Never send money to anyone you have never met. Alarm bells should go off immediately the moment a potential romantic partner asks you for financial assistance who you don’t know well. Never wire money or give them access to your bank accounts.
7. The romantic e-card may be a nice gesture, but this is a common phishing scheme for scammers. They send these spam links that mask dangerous malware and viruses that can remotely take over your computer and steal your personal and financial information.
If you encounter any of these red flags, “be very nervous,” says Levin, because you may have been got!
