UNDATED, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of West Michigan is warning citizens of potential dating scams ahead of Valentine’s Day.
To begin with, Troy Baker of the BBB warns that some dating website may have contractual issues when they don’t deliver services as promised, or issues with cancelling the service.
“One of the biggest things we see is simply the idea of what the offer is,” Baker said. “You’re gonna get so many dates, or you’re gonna have so many matches, and then they don’t materialize. So if you’re paying money to meet eight people and you only meet three, that’s an issue.”
Issues with refunds when services aren’t delivered is also a common issue with dating websites.
Dating websites and apps are also well-known outlets for online scam artists, and is a common way that people lose money.
“You meet somebody online through a popular website or through social media, you get this relationship with them online and then they start asking for money,” Baker said. “That is a sure sign, when they start asking for money, that there’s a big red flag, there’s something wrong there.”
Studies into dating website scams have discovered that, while most people are scammed out of a few hundred or a few thousand dollars, some cases report significantly higher losses.
“One person from the Northern Grand Rapids area [lost] over $130,000 to a scammer,” Baker said. “They took out an extra mortgage, they thought were helping this person that they had fallen in love with online keep their business afloat overseas so they could just come back and be with them. Unfortunately, they were out over $130,000.”
In order to avoid getting scammed through dating websites, the BBB recommends that dating website users meet the person in person before getting serious.
“It’s all right to get to know people by phone, by internet, but before the relationship really takes hold, you really ought to meet in person and go on a real date,” Baker said. “Beware of anyone asking you for money, it really isn’t the way to go. If someone is asking you for money a week or two into your relationship, it’s probably a sign that there’s an issue there.”
As far as choosing a website to use, the BBB recommends reviewing company policies, specifically those that deal with fraudulent activity.
More information about dating website scams, as well as other types of scams can be found online at the BBB website.
