Six signs you might be falling for a dating scam

As couples celebrate the most romantic day of the year, those looking for love online have been given a reminder they are courting a “virtual” stranger who may not be all they seem.

Internet security firm Eset Ireland has published “six signs you might be falling for an online dating scam”.

“With Valentine’s Day upon us, millions will be looking for love online, it said.

“Whether it’s Tinder, OkCupid, or Match.com, the sad but true reality is that online dating is a hotbed of tricks, lies and scams. ”

Sign one: “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t love you”

First they come on too strong, telling you that you are their soulmate after a few hours of chatting, Eset said.

“Second, and this is the part to watch out for, they ask for money. Thinking you’re falling in love softens your natural suspicions towards others on the web; this might sound obvious but it works a depressing amount of time.”

Sign two: “Sorry, I can’t talk right now...”

One sign you may not be interacting with the right person is an unwillingness to speak on the phone.

“Nigerian and eastern European fraudsters pretend to be 20-something women from the US, Australia and Britain. Similarly, watch out for anyone who’s super-keen to get you off the site where you met and talk over email or text — most dating sites can monitor conversations for likely fraudsters — telltale signs like exchanging bank data, for example — and they don’t want their cover blown.”

Sign three: “Do you look familiar?”

Online dating sites have been caught creating fake, attractive profiles using celebrity photographs, stock images of models, or photographs and personal details of real individuals, usually stolen from Facebook.

“Download their profile pic, then open up Google. Drag and drop the image into the search bar to search for any other uses of the picture. If it returns lots of hits from photo libraries, people with different names, or some minor actor, you’ve just rumbled a fake.”

Sign four: He just came out of the blue

“If they’re savvy enough to be online dating, the chances are they’ve got at least some social media presence,” ESET said.

“If you’re Googling your potential heartthrob and they’ve only recently joined Facebook and Twitter, your suspicions should be raised. Check the details match what they’ve told you, and see if their friends or followers look like genuine people.”

Sign 5: “Is that a wedding ring?"

A recent study found as many as a third of men using online dating are married.

“Some common signs: his profile picture is hard to identify; he won’t give a landline phone number, and blocks the number when he calls; his responses are erratic and come at odd times of the day, and most of all, he’s reluctant to let you into his circle of friends or talk about his family life. If these sound familiar — beware.”

Sign 6: “Tell me all about yourself…”

Online dating is a natural forum to share personal information, but be careful.

“As well as the obvious — financial information, addresses — be wary of anyone who seems overly keen to know your mother’s maiden name, favourite pet or first school: the stuff that passwords and security questions are made of,” said Eset.