Why You Should Run a Background Check on Your Online Dates

Did you know that in 2016 almost 4,000 people were reported to be victim of dating scams in just the United Kingdom alone? The numbers in the U.S. are most likely to be even higher. Sadly, there are some scheming individuals who use online matchmaking services to trick romantic singles. Even if it isn’t a case of them being scummy con artists looking to get their hands on your money, there are others who troll daters just for a laugh, ultimately hurting them emotionally. In any case, caution is advised. Luckily there are easy ways to check your partner’s identity, so you won’t be left in the dark.

Online dating is a minefield

To say that online dating sites are full of fake profiles is something of an understatement; there are so many of them that we feel the need to categorize the dangers. There are the scammers, malicious individuals that pretend to be in great financial peril. They start off sweet and innocent but after managing to dazzle their victim with their charm, a sudden ‘tragedy’ strikes. Perhaps a beloved family member falls ill, or they need to leave their oppressive country. The main targets of scammers are naive seniors or lonely mature adults.

Another group to look out for are kittenfishers or catfishers. The cutesy names hide a despicable sort of person who thrives on drama and false romance. They pretend to be a far more interesting person than they actually are, going so far as to create fake social media accounts with equally fake comments from others to make this deception even more believable. And lastly there are the creepers and sex offenders who must be avoided at all cost. Luckily a thorough background check can reveal their true faces.

Dating site admins won’t do it for you

The reason for urging the use of background check services is because you can’t rely on the help of the dating site admins. Although the system often withholds the full activation of your account until the profile and photos have been checked, the process is usually automated. In other words, a program makes some basic investigation looking for inappropriate words or unfitting images, but since scammers and catfishers tend to play nicely at the beginning they will create a profile that looks genuine. A report can be sent after their illicit activity is revealed, but at that point the emotional damage has already been done. Yet dating sites don’t indulge in background checks because the admins lack the relevant information; accounts are quite temporary, the username is vague, and the email address is often created only solely for this occasion.

Doing a background check is easy

Background check services are designed to be convenient, with searches initiated just by entering the target’s name, address, email address or phone number. Though of course any additional information will help to get more accurate results. Most reports are highly detailed, dealing with topics such as criminal record, court cases and marital status. Some of them even include commentary on what each of the terms mean. If your potential date has any dirt to hide, then a background check would reveal it. Additionally, finding no results is also valuable because it’s a potential sign that you are dealing with a fake profile. In these cases it’s good to cease all contacts immediately.