5 Tips for Spotting a Con Man

The vast majority of people you meet online are honest and well-meaning, but there are a few nefarious con men (and women) trolling the Internet looking to scam money. Here's what you need to know to avoid becoming a victim.

So you’ve met someone online and they look amazing on paper. Too good to be true? Well, they might be.

While the vast majority of people you meet online are honest and well-meaning, there are a few nefarious con men (and women) trolling the Internet looking to scam money. They figure the quickest way to your wallet is through your heart.

Fortunately, there are warning signs to help you avoid becoming a victim.

1. They Are A Little Too Good Looking

A profile photo that features a phenomenally good-looking person may be red flag.

Note the quality of the photograph. Anything too professional-looking should raise your suspicion levels. Scammers frequently pull photos of models from stock photography sites and use them as their own to attract people.

Look for any inconsistencies between the photo and the person’s self-description. If they claim to be down-to-earth and unconcerned with physical beauty, yet their picture looks like a Hollywood headshot, that should raise a question.

And if you happen to be one of those sincere, honest, beautiful people, make sure you include several snapshots that show you relaxing at home or with friends in addition to your professional headshot.

2. They Want To Move Too Fast

You meet someone online, you exchange an e-mail or two, and then all of a sudden they want your phone number—like right now. Our advice is to proceed with caution. With every virtual relationship, there’s a natural progression from e-mails to IM, to phone calls to finally, meeting in person. It doesn’t have to be in this order, per se, but use this as a general rule.

A person who wants to bypass from step A directly to Z should be considered suspicious.

3. They Seem Too Good To Be True

Scammers have a knack for creating online personas that are very attractive.

• The down-to-earth single father who has fallen head over heels in love.

• The beautiful young woman from a foreign country who needs help.

• The wealthy doctor who has finally found someone who understands him.

These scams are successful because the perpetrators are great at crafting believable situations that lower your guard. They need to gain trust in order to ask for money in the future.

Whenever you meet someone online who seems too good to be true or falls in love with you too quickly it’s time to step back and consider the situation. This person may be genuine and honest, but you’ll want to move forward in a cautious, deliberate manner looking for any other suspicious behavior.