Cheating on social media is common. Jennifer Loruso from tendermeets.com says in her article on infidelity that excessive social media use may be the reason for anxiety in many users. Of course, the easiest way is to not use social media but these days, it’s easier said than done. Using dating sites to connect with people is just as popular, but you need to take some precautionary measures to avoid being cheated on these sites. Here’s what you can do.
Run a search
Copy pictures that are posted by your online partner and run them through some search engine for the reverse image. If the photos keep coming up correlated with an individual that has a different name or could be anywhere else in the city, you have good reason to think that someone else’s profile has stolen them. If you’ve interacted via mail with anyone, search for their email on a database that compiles email accounts attributed to scammers. Some sites manage their own blacklist of scammers or those who cheat by using false photos.
Interrogate the backstory
A little detective work online can go a long way. Type the name of the person you met online into search engines and see what pops up. You may not be able to access things, including criminal histories but still, from their social media profiles, professional account, and other details, you should be able to gain insight into whether what they are saying to you is in line with the truth. Often, digging deeper can be smart. For starters, if an individual you meet appears to be running a business overseas, contact the US Embassy to confirm the existence of the company.
Let someone know
If you’re asked to send money and want to do so willingly, at least let someone you trust know the whole scenario. Be open to their advice. And keep in mind there are often requests for assets as part of a scam. Recovering the money can be difficult, if not impossible.
Dig deeper if someone claims to be a soldier
There are more and more schemes in which scam artists take pictures of troops from social networking sites to strengthen their claim to be respected military members. They will ask for money to buy unique documents or tickets to come home or talk to the family.
Trust your gut feeling
There are times your gut tells you this person is going to cheat on you and this is a scam but we don’t always want to agree with what we feel instinctively. Usually, your gut is right and you should listen to it. There are many red flags you are likely to feel before you can process them fully enough to explain them. If someone seems too good to be true, they usually are.
Conclusion
The fact is that even with the rise of chat rooms, loneliness is still pandemic and sometimes there are no alternative ways to meet someone outside work. It’s popular because it is practical. Just be sure to pay attention to the safety tips to ensure you don’t get cheated when trying dating sites or social media networks online.