The situation with the coronavirus has certainly been unexpected. Millions of people around the world are now in quarantine due to the risk of propagation of the virus which originated in China.  This has forced us to look for new ways to work, new ways to deal with home schooling, shopping, and socializing. The internet is the only connection to the rest of the world for many people, especially those in European countries. And it is a good thing that we can count on the internet to not be totally isolated, at least for now.  If the internet goes down, or the power grid, all bets are off!

“With real life social distancing we are expecting an exponential increase in online dating and social media usage, but what we would like to avoid is the same increase in the cases of fraud and scams that come from this online interaction,” says John Wallace, Director of Background Checks at Wymoo International. The quarantine and the strict health and hygiene measures are taking care of the physical risks of being infected by the virus, but we are exposed to other risks online that we need to be aware of.  During times of crisis, fraud cases have a tendency of rising.  The following are some of the recommendations from international private investigators to avoid being a victim of an online dating scammers these troubling and uncertain times.

Scammers never stop, don’t put your guard down

Unfortunately, times of crisis are the best business season for scammers. Criminals do not stop, they have no respect for deaths, sickness, disabilities, tragedy or anything else. In fact, it is well known that tragedies have been the perfect excuse to confuse people, requests for donations and financial assistance to “face a personal hardship”. However, it is all fake. The greatest problem with this is that most people are good and just want to help, but helping without verifying is just a way to collaborate with crime. Do not trust anyone who is asking for money. Check them out first!

Socialize, meet new people, but verify!

Nobody should be isolated and depressed at home. Social media and dating apps can help all of those who are feeling lonely. Despite the physical social distancing, there are ways to stay in touch with friends and meet new people, but for your safety, verify your new friends or romantic partners!! Dating background check investigations are an excellent tool to stay safe and avoid fraud.  The pandemic does not have to be taken to the internet too. We do not want to see people with their savings gone, bank accounts hacked, and broken hearts. Make sure the people you are talking to online are real and honest, that they are in fact who they claim to be and their intentions are good.

Protect your personal information

Most of our interaction will be online for a while, so it is more important than ever to protect your personal information. Keep in mind that the more you share online, the more chances there are of having criminals take advantage of what they know from you. Set your social media profiles to private, and share as little as you can about your personal life and family.

Get used to following safe practices online

The global pandemic has forced us to be more vigilant about those things we already knew we should be doing. Let’s get them in practice always!

If you are dating online now and have met someone you are interested in via the internet, now is the time to verify! Contact us for a free quote for online dating verifications.

C. Wright
© Wymoo International

© Copyright Wymoo International.  All Rights Reserved.  This content is the property of Wymoo International, LLC and is protected by United States of America and international copyright laws.  Wymoo® is a registered trademark.