Scam Profile Red Flags

Internet Romance Scams, Part 3 (How to Identify a scammer by their profiles)

Yes, Romance Scammers are relentless and never stop trying to finding new ways to get into your hearts and wallets. Just this morning I had three emails from scammers trying to start a relationship with me and two of them were using Avatars that I have already identified and posted warnings on their “Shout-outs”. One of the problems is, how do you know or identify who is real and who is a scammer. I (we) do not have all the answers, but, will try to give each of you a headstart in learning to identify a scammer profile.

1. Take a good look at the Avatar (picture), Scammers use photos stolen for Modeling and Porn websites. If the picture is posed and look professional (a very clear and sharply focused Shot) be careful. (Here is a contradiction, as over the last several months I have seen an increase of pictures of normal looking people used by scammers, mostly harvested from Facebook or pictures the scammers received from their victims).

2. The name (screen name) does not match the nation that they say they are from, (example, an obvious African or Mideastern name from Montana, USA). Also, when a screen name with sexual overtones is used be careful.

3. Looking for age group inappropriate for the age of the profile (Example a 23 year old female, looking for a man 25 to 99). Now be careful, as many Asian profiles have an older age range and are from real ladies.

4. Location; Scammer do not know the nation that they say they are from and have inappropriate associations of cities and states and sometimes countries (example, Los Angles, New York or Seattle, Canada)

5. Height, many scammers never read this item and leave the height at 3' 6" which is a child’s height.

6. Compare the body type with the picture and see if they match (most scammers do not understand what “Curvy” in a body profile means).

7. Ethnicity, from the picture what is the ethnicity of the person (Example, white, blond lady listed as Native American, or an African American listed as Asian, mixed race is a dead giveaway)

8. Religion; watch out for religious affiliations that are not appropriate to the area, like Christian/LDS in Africa or Europe.

9. Read what they say “In my own words”; is it written like a native writer, is the English in the correct form, how is the spelling, (yes I know that many of us can not spell and make allowances for others, but really look at spelling).

10. Hair Color; ook at the photo and determine if they match (I know that every lady “Knows” hat here hair color is and that should never be wrong or posted as (unknown”).

11. If you can see the eyes in the photo, look and check for a match.

12. Is the education appropriate for the age and work that they are doing (Example, Doctorate, or Ph.D. at the age of 24).

13 Occupation: said that they had a highschool education and listed Occupation as a Nurse which requires a degree. (Watch out for buyer and sellers of antiques, art,
gold, and beads, fashion, self-employed and child care, also look out for Engineers and Architects).

14. Income; is the income appropriate for the age group and occupation. Remember in the US, $52,000.00 per year is average (example, working as a secretary and earning $70.000 to $100,000 per year).

Then take a real close look at the written profile. Let’s take a look at “Red flags” that we could find in a scammers written profile.

1. Spelling is atrocious (even I can use a spell checker).

2. Unfamiliar with the language and grammar of the nation they state that they are from. (Example, They say that they are from the USA, and inconsistent with an American writer).

3. Uneducated in writing/speaking skills (like a third grade writer).

4. Overuse of terms on endearment and emotions.

5. Notorious for using “i” instead of the proper form of “I”.

6. The use of abbreviations such as u; r;ur; coz; pls; plz; ma; m; Am; sry; brb’ dev; ect, (Using Text language to write a email or profile).

7. Improper or mixed phrases like "

“i” will like to heer from you soonest;

I am kool;

Do you have any man you care to meet,;

Do you have any man you planning to meet;

Looking for someone to love and care for in life;

Am cheerfull in life;

I will like to meet someone that is careing and loveing for real in life;

“I” am too young for my age if you don’t know;

Ok so how will you feel if i says i dont mind you;

i will like you to be my best friend;

You are so pretty for my likeness; etc.

8. Misunderstanding our slang or comparisons such as night owl/early bird, poker face

Here are examples of a scammer’s written profile:

“Well i love my job o much, i can laugh a lot...LoL, Write me and i will tell you more about myself because i don't know what to write at the moment.”

“I would describe myself as a calm, romantic, kind, honest and caring and loving person. My hobbies are going to movies, Beaches and dining out to nice restaurantsI love playing Volley ball. I also love travelling. I like the color blue. I love kids whenever I see them on the street playing and I am wishing to have mine someday. They are so cute at this young ID charity.”

“i we tell you letter i we tell you letter i we tell you letter i we tell you letter i we tell you letter i we tell you letter i we tell you letter i we tell you letter i we tell you letter i we tell you letter i”

“ask me letter ask me letter ask me letter ask me letter ask me letter ask me letter ask me letter ask me letter ask me letter ask me letter ask me letter ask me letter”

“am the person who remember the ones that help me but also da ones who destroy me, but no matter what i learn to forgive the others because remember u only have one life so enjoy It, and never look back live the life because the years gone never come back!!!”

“i just finished my schooling so i am currently in an IT programme”

Many times the scammers copy profile but mix the profiles or gender up by putting a mans profile in a ladies profile or the profile will have two different style of writings. In the end each of us must be vigilant and look carefully at each profile and determine if it is safe to respond to.”

If you find a Scammer, Notify the site and Block them from your email , Do not let your emotions get involved as they are criminals and are only out to steal your money.

Please feel free to comment and add examples to this blog.

Romance scammers are also copying from real profiles and pasting them into their profile, many times they forget to remove the gender and will have a male profile where it should be a female or will mix two different writing styles in the same profile.

If more that one of these areas do not match, beware and verify if they are a scammer before you develop a relationship, check the internet for known scammers and the pictures and profiles that the use.

“Do Not Feed the Scammers”