Safe online dating: how to avoid scammers
Meeting people through apps and social media is normal, especially in a new city. But that is exactly where scammers work, building a “relationship” for months to ask for money later. The good news: these schemes have recognisable signs.
Signs of a scammer
- Declares feelings very fast and asks to move from the app to WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Is always “abroad”: military, seafarer, doctor on a mission, engineer on a rig — so can’t meet.
- Avoids video calls, or the camera is “broken”.
- Sooner or later asks for money: a ticket, customs, treatment, “my account is temporarily blocked”.
- Offers to “make money together” with crypto or a “reliable” platform.
How to check
- Image search. Upload the profile photo to Google Lens — it often turns out to belong to someone else or a stock site.
- A video call before any meeting and long before any talk of money.
- Tell a friend — warning signs are easier to see from outside.
What not to share or send
- Your address, workplace, where you go every day.
- Photos of documents, card details, SMS codes.
- Intimate photos — they can be used for blackmail.
- Money — in any form and for any reason, to someone you have not met in person.
Profile privacy
- A private Instagram or hidden location tags on photos.
- Turn off location data in photos before sending them.
- A separate username in Telegram instead of your main number.
- Check who can see your location on your phone.
The first meeting
In the daytime, in a busy place, using your own transport. Tell a friend who you are meeting and where; you can share your live location for the time of the meeting. If something feels wrong, leaving is fine.
If you have already sent money
Call your bank at once — sometimes a transfer can be stopped. Keep the messages and contact the police (112). Don’t pay “helpers” who promise to recover the money for a fee — that is the second wave of the same scheme.
How I can help
I will set up the privacy of your phone and social media, check who can see your location and photos, and turn on account protection. Confidential. Visit — from 50 ₾. More about protection — “Safety if you live alone”.