Tech Byte: Avoiding online dating scams

Catfish belong on your dinner plate, not in your DMs. Online dating is common now, but that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. Security experts with VPNOverwiew.com have some tips that you can use to protect yourself from scammers.

The first thing experts at VPN Overview recommend is asking for a video chat before you go on a date. Requesting a video chat first helps weed out fake profiles. If the person you’re chatting with refuses a phone or video call, that’s a red flag.

While this next tip may be inconvenient, experts also advise that you don’t connect your dating profile to other social media pages. Keeping these accounts separate makes it tougher for strangers to access personal pages and information meant for friends and family. The site also suggests creating a dating profile with a separate Google account. That way, your profile isn’t connected to personal information.

When uploading photos, to your dating profile, use pictures that don’t exist anywhere else on the internet. Otherwise, someone could reverse image search your photos and use them against you. It could also be a way for people to find personal information that you don’t feel comfortable having on your profile.

Check your location settings. It’s easy to forget which apps are tracking your location. Make sure the dating app you’re using only uses your location when its actively being used.

Finally, just use common sense. Be wary of fake profiles, demands for money, and requests for explicit pictures. If you see suspicious activity or inappropriate behavior, report it. VPN Overview also wants to remind people that logging out when you’ve found love, or just given up, isn’t enough. Be sure to delete your profile when you stop using the app.