Your Website of the Month: How to Avoid Falling Victim to a “Tinder Swindler”

“But love is blind, and lovers cannot see” (Shakespeare)

Note: Please think of sharing this article with any family member, friend or colleague who might benefit from knowing which “red flags” to watch for when using dating apps and social media.

Even if you haven’t yet watched the hit Netflix film “The Tinder Swindler”, you will know of the huge problem worldwide of swindlers using dating apps and social media to part victims from substantial amounts of money.

Hearts are broken, lives ruined, savings lost, huge and unrepayable debts incurred. It’s easy to think “I would never fall for that” but the reality is that everyone is vulnerable - these “romantic fraud” swindlers are masters at using powerful social engineering techniques to identify suitable victims, draw them in, and fleece them of everything.

Norton Security provide a wealth of information to help you navigate these shark-infested waters safely in their article “Romance scams in 2022: What you need to know + online dating scam statistics” here.

If you read nothing else, have a look at the ones we’ve highlighted for you –

• “What is a romance scam?” (With a list of 7 common ones)
  
  
• “How romance scams work” (with Infographic)
  
  
• “Warning signs: Lies romance scammers tell” (6 red flags with Infographic “Is Your Cyber Sweetheart Swindling You?”)
  
  
• “10 tips to avoid romance scammers and protect yourself” (with a long list of Do’s and Don’ts)
  
  
• “How to report an online dating scam”
  
  
• “20+ online dating scam statistics” (Infographic “Heartbreaking Statistics”) [The problem’s huge - victims lost around $304 million in 2020 alone]
  
  
• “Romance scams on the rise”
  
  
• “The real price tags of online dating”
  
  
• “Online dating scams and older adults”
  
  
• “Who’s most susceptible to romance scams”
  
  
• “Stalker ware is trending up”
  
  
• “How a romance scam works” (Infographic)
  
  
• “Online Dating Advice” (Infographic)

If you aren’t sure that your online Prince (or Princess) Charming is 100% legitimate, ask someone you trust for objective advice before you find yourself in a hole you can’t escape from. And if you do find yourself one of the many victims, call in professional advice – the sooner you do, the quicker you can start extracting yourself from your nightmare situation.