AngelicMatch.com

Just like face-to-face dating, singles online try to put their best foot forward, but potential online dates have the advantage of hiding behind a computer. This can lead to them seeming a whole lot "dreamier" than they really are. An unpleasant surprise, when you meet up in real life can often feel like, or be, a scam.

Trust your instincts. If something sounds wrong — like an architect who says he's 35 years old but has 25 years of professional experience — start asking questions.

If you're concerned about the person's age, ask him or her to send a recent photo. (Realising of course, that the recent picture they send may not truly be recent — it may not even be a picture of them.)

Also, protect yourself from people who might emotionally unstable. Until you get to know them better, conceal your public information, agree to only meeting in public, and always let a close friend know where you will be.

If a potential date asks for your personal e-mail early on in your conversation, be aware that they may just be trying to add your details to an online mailing list.

AngelicMatch provides you with an online mailbox that keeps your conversation in a controlled environment to help prevent against such scams, and we recommend not giving out your personal details until you've met and established a relationship with any potential partners.

When it comes to telephone numbers, we recommend that you never give out your home phone number as scammers may be able to find your address from this, instead only give your mobile phone number which are not geographically identifiable beyond the country you are in.

Names after a now-defunct Nigerian law, the 419 scam is a classic amongst online dating scams. We're sorry to say that you are likely to come across this scam if you do online dating for any length of time.

This scam however, is fairly easy to identify, as their are some recurring themes:

• You are approached by someone living abroad, or who claims to live in your country but works abroad — usually Nigeria, but other countries that make an appearance include Ghana, Ivory Coast and other West African countries. Scammers also often claim to be soldiers posted overseas in war zones such as Afghanistan and Iraq.
• You are befriended, and over time trust is built between you and the scammer.
• The scammer reveals their need for money for some plausible-sounding reason and makes you believe you're the only person in a position to pay it.
• You send them the requested money (usually via Western Union)
• You never hear from them again, or worse, you are asked for more and more money.

The usual reasons given by scammers for needing money include:

• An advance on their wages ("I won't get paid until my contract is finished, and I've run out of money")
• A medical emergency ("My mother is in need of an operation and needs £300 to pay for it")
• Urgently needs a ticket to the UK ("My mother is ill and I need to see her before she dies")
• Needs money to tide them over while they finish their education, eg a university degree
• Needs to buy a mobile phone ("My mother is dying and I need to speak to her urgently")
• Needs your authorisation (and a payment) to get leave from the army to visit you

Of course, it could be a variation of the above — but the reasons for needing the money will tend to sound plausible and reasonable. Stop! Do not be tempted to part with your money — you'll never see it again, and you'll never see the person you sent it to.