Online dating has made it easier than ever to meet new people but it also opens the door to serious risks like sextortion, a growing form of cybercrime. Understanding the warning signs of sextortion on dating apps is essential to practicing online dating safety and protecting your emotional and financial well-being.
What Is Sextortion?
Sextortion is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to release your private or intimate content unless you meet their demands typically for money, more content, or favors. On dating apps, scammers often create fake profiles to lure unsuspecting users into private conversations, build trust quickly, and then manipulate them into sharing explicit photos or videos.
Common Warning Signs of Sextortion on Dating Apps
If you’re using a dating app, stay alert to these red flags:
1. Too Much, Too Soon
Scammers often rush intimacy. If someone starts pushing for explicit photos or video chats early in the conversation even before building a basic connection it’s a clear dating scam warning sign.
2. Avoids Verifying Identity
If someone refuses to show their face on a video call or avoids giving clear answers about who they are, this may indicate they’re not who they claim to be. Knowing how to verify someone online helps you protect yourself from such risks.
3. Sudden Emotional Flattery
Scammers use over-the-top compliments and declarations of love quickly. This tactic, known as love bombing, builds trust fast and lowers your guard.
4. Requests for Private Conversations
If someone insists on moving the conversation off the dating app (e.g., to WhatsApp or Snapchat), be cautious. Scammers often use these platforms for easier manipulation and less accountability.
5. Threats After Sharing
Once explicit content is shared, the scammer may threaten to send it to your friends, family, or social media contacts unless you pay them or send more.
What You Can Do Right Now
If you suspect you’re being targeted for sextortion:
- Stop all communication with the person immediately.
- Do not send more content or money.
- Report the profile on the dating app to protect others.
- Gather evidence: screenshots of conversations, usernames, and any threats made.
- Seek romance scam help through local authorities or cybercrime units.
- Protect yourself in online dating by never sharing intimate content with someone you’ve just met online, no matter how trustworthy they seem.
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