There seem to be endless stories from around the world about people who go to online dating sites in hopes of finding love, but end up finding misery instead. According to the FBI, online dating scams cost Americans an estimated $230 million last year. Here is an article from the CNBC American Greed series explaining some of the tall tales and sob stories scammers use to get victims to send them money. The article also shares some tips regarding doing your due diligence, and some red flags to look for.
Along with scammers, users of online dating sites are also running into predators. Here is a story about a woman who barely escaped being sexually assaulted and possibly killed by a man she met on an online dating site. The perpetrator was on probation at the time of the incident. If this particular dating site had conducted a background check on him, they may have been able to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of this woman.
Based on the amount of scams and criminal behaviors from individuals using dating sites, it is clear that these sites do nothing to verify their client’s identities or potential criminal pasts. A background check that is conducted using a person’s social security number is able to accurately verify his/her identity and other pertinent information, such as criminal history. If your dating site does not conduct background checks, you may want to use methods such as google image searches or social media to try to verify your love interest’s identity. In any case, your best bet is to use a dating service which conducts thorough background checks.
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