Cyber Experts Caution Against Falling Prey to Online Dating Apps
By : Geeta Valaboju
Update: 2024-05-02 15:27 GMT
Hyderabad: Finding love online is super easy these days. However, a word of caution is that it's not all rainbows and butterflies.
There are major risks given the staggering 46 per cent surge in online dating frauds since the Covid years, that has left both women and men vulnerable to frauds committed by deceitful schemers.
The perpetrators, mostly posing as women, exploit individuals, regardless of gender, to extract money with such guile that realization dawns on the victim after being left high and dry. The impersonators use fake pictures or lie about who they are.
In one such case, an individual ‘Dinesh’ created a fake profile on the 'QuackQuack' dating app using the name "Swetha Shetty" and targeted unsuspecting victims. Pretending to be a woman, the fraudster manipulated victims into believing in a virtual relationship and extorted `4,09,200.
Incidentally, the ratio of women cheating men is the same as men pretending to be women and cheating other men.
“It's like falling for a scam artist in a romantic disguise”, said cyber expert Anil Rachamalla.
Privacy is another worry. Sharing too much info online can lead to identity theft or hackers getting into your accounts. It is like giving the keys to your house to a stranger, he added.
“The anonymity of chatting online can make it easier for people to stalk or harass you. When you decide to meet someone you have been talking to online in real life, stay safe. Take precautions. It is essential to trust your instincts, and conduct a thorough research on potential matches, fixing meetings in public places and informing a trusted person about the rendezvous,” said Praveen Tangella, another cyber expert.
There are major risks given the staggering 46 per cent surge in online dating frauds since the Covid years, that has left both women and men vulnerable to frauds committed by deceitful schemers.
The perpetrators, mostly posing as women, exploit individuals, regardless of gender, to extract money with such guile that realization dawns on the victim after being left high and dry. The impersonators use fake pictures or lie about who they are.
In one such case, an individual ‘Dinesh’ created a fake profile on the 'QuackQuack' dating app using the name "Swetha Shetty" and targeted unsuspecting victims. Pretending to be a woman, the fraudster manipulated victims into believing in a virtual relationship and extorted `4,09,200.
Incidentally, the ratio of women cheating men is the same as men pretending to be women and cheating other men.
“It's like falling for a scam artist in a romantic disguise”, said cyber expert Anil Rachamalla.
Privacy is another worry. Sharing too much info online can lead to identity theft or hackers getting into your accounts. It is like giving the keys to your house to a stranger, he added.
“The anonymity of chatting online can make it easier for people to stalk or harass you. When you decide to meet someone you have been talking to online in real life, stay safe. Take precautions. It is essential to trust your instincts, and conduct a thorough research on potential matches, fixing meetings in public places and informing a trusted person about the rendezvous,” said Praveen Tangella, another cyber expert.