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Tips to avoid online dating scams

by Jeff Cunningham

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - Millions of people all over the world use online dating sites. In this cyber age, it's the modern way to date. Scammers know this too and it's important to make sure mister right isn't very wrong.

We found two local people who have experience using online dating sites, both have been approached by people using the sites to try and scam them. Here is what they found out and their advice to you.

Douglas Flummer's life is computers. He works in IT security and has a lot of experience with online dating sites. Douglas is one of millions of people using a variety of online dating sites to meet people. Sites like eharmony.com, match.com, plentyoffish.com are just a few.

One estimate puts the number of people using these sites at 40 million. With that kind of audience, it's no wonder scammers are also hoping to meet mister or Mrs right as well.

As someone with an eye for security, Douglas says he's been able to spot numerous times people have tried to lure him into a scam. Douglas has even put the scams into categories.

First, the American scam. The message comes with perfect English and sounds innocent enough. But Douglas says their real intention is to get you to visit their website, usually a porn site.

Next, the Russian scam. In this scam, the scammer wants you to fund their trip to the United States but, chances are, you will never actually see them.

That's what happened to one Poplar Bluff single who didn't want her identity revealed. She was contacted on plentyoffish by someone claiming to be an art dealer.

He told her he was out of the country buying art and couldn't get home and wanted her to open a bank account at a large bank and get money transferred to him. She didn't fall for it and he soon disappeared. She did report the scam and his user name to the website.

Finally, the popular Nigerian scam is one for which to watch. In this scam, the scammer tells you he's stuck in Nigeria, possibly helping a loved one, and needs your money to get back home.

Protecting yourself is pretty simple: be aware of the scams out there; if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is; and never give out your personal information to someone you don't know.

Most dating websites have security and encourage you to report any suspicious activity to them.