Article: One of the first clues of an online dating scam is bad grammar. While not everyone who has bad grammar is a scammer, if the person you are talking to online also suggests that they have a high education level, this should be warning sign. If their grammar or sentence structure seems odd and things don’t just don’t seem to add up, it is likely to be a scam. For example, you should be wary of someone who says they were born and raised in the United States but their grammar suggests that English is not their first language. Before you get too emotionally invested in a person from an online dating site, suggest that you go on a date. If you are dealing with an online dating scammer, they may agree to meet in person but will repeatedly have an excuse for why they cannot meet.  Be sure to schedule your date in a public and safe location. Take extra precautions to stay safe, such as by letting a couple of family members and friends know where you are meeting the person. Keep your phone with you at all times in case you need to call for emergency help, such as by calling 911 in the US. If an in-person meeting is not an option due to geographic location, request that you speak to the person by Skype or Google Hangout. If you are talking to someone that you don’t know online, be sure to Google search some of the information that they give you. Search their name, email address, and username.  The name, email, or username may come up in a search of frequent online scammers. Online scammers often use other people’s online images. Sometimes online scammers adopt a real person’s identity to make their scam more believable. If you are using an online dating site, a scammer may request that you exchange information so that you can communicate outside of the dating site. They may provide an excuse that seems very legitimate and are often very convincing. They do this very quickly in the hopes that they are not caught by the site administrator.  They may say something like, “My subscription to this site is going to end tonight. Would you be interested in continuing this conversation by text or email?” Be wary if the person tries to speed up the romance or showers you with affection early on. These are red flags that the person may be planning to scam you. For safety reasons, you should never give a person that you met online information like your full name, birthday, phone number, or address. It is also wise to avoid discussions about your salary, savings, life insurance, or inheritance. If you are being asked these questions, you are likely involved in an online dating scam. The end game to most online dating scams is money. It can take several weeks or even months for a request for money to occur. The request for money is typically in combination with a heart wrenching story that makes you believe that this person or someone that they love is in danger. For example, they may tell you: “I’m sorry that I haven’t responded to your messages the past couple of days. My daughter was backpacking with some friends overseas and has been in a tragic accident. While traveling to be with her in the hospital, my wallet was stolen from my purse. I need some money for a hotel and food while I am here. Can you send me some money by Western Union? I will pay you back as soon as I get home!”

What is a summary?
Pay attention to their grammar. Suggest an in-person meeting. Do a quick Google search. Recognize odd requests. Be wary of requests for personal information. Beware of requests for money.