The majority of users of Instagram and social media networks such as Fakebook (Facebook) do not even know what a romance scam is, or that it even exists. We are not naturally prepared for fraud and deception, but criminals find a way to reach good people and currently Instagram is a great means to expand their business. This is why learning about romance scams and sharing this information is so important.  If you are on social media, you are a potential target of experienced criminals.

Instagram is fairly new to thousands of people. No one ever thought that sharing images could turn into a dangerous thing, but sadly it happens. Behind a pretty picture, behind an apparently innocent comment, online criminals are hunting for their prey. These are tips that our international private investigators have put together to help people stay away from scammers.

The internet is a mine zone: no social network is free of criminals

This is not only happening in Instagram. It happens on every dating website, app, social network, online forum, etc. It is important to acknowledge that any internet user is exposed to this kind of threat. Victims are not people who have necessarily taken a greater risk by visiting a “dangerous” website. Criminals will come and reach you anywhere, so beware of the red flags.

Take it easy, go slow

It’s fun to meet new people who share the same interests you have, but take it easy. There is no need to rush and tell anyone the story of your life, where you live, where you work, social security number, bank account details, email passwords, or any other personal details. Online criminals profit from personal  data, so don’t offer them the possibility to use yours. Share general things at first, keep the conversation as far as possible from your private life and be selfish with what you share.

Watch out for red flags

If you are starting to feel really interested in the person on the other side of the online conversation, watch out for red flags. Romance scammers will – in most cases – try to advance with the relationship fast. A lot of interest may be a sign that their intentions are not good. Most victims say they were pressured to move the conversation to different places like Hangouts, and that the declarations for love came too early. This is part of they will use to manipulate their victims. We all want to feel special and loved, we want to think we felt a special spark like in the movies. Unfortunately, most of the time this is just a trick. Beware also of requests for money, as financial gain is the criminal’s ultimate goal.

A professional online dating verification makes all the difference

When people start suspecting or simply have a bad feeling about their internet relationship, they usually start by looking for lists of romance scammers names and photos on the internet. However, fraudsters change their names and photos like changing an outfit. They’ll use a different one on every victim, so relying on finding evidence of fraud on the internet is not a good idea. Online dating verifications conducted by professional investigators will provide the reliable evidence you need.

A professional investigator can verify for a fact if the person in question was born where they say, if they have traveled recently and where, if they work where they claim to, if he or she went to school where they mentioned, if they live in the country and address they provided, etc. Every detail is a piece of a puzzle, and professional investigators have access, experience, resources and training to verify the facts and obtain clear evidence.  The purpose of a professional background check investigation it to uncover clear evidence so you can be safe, and make an informed decision.  Non-private and biased search engines like Google will not turn you into a detective overnight, and real investigators don’t rely on the Internet for evidence.  If you need to start your research online, do it with a secure and private search engine such as DuckDuckGo, but always consult a professional investigator for help.

Be safe.  Contact us if meet someone online and need to verify their identity.

C. Wright
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