3 Red Flags That Your Online Dating Profile Has Been Hijacked
Online dating is a great new way to meet people, but there are some back draws to it. Not only are you relying on the fact that others on the site are presenting themselves truly the way that they are, you are assuming that they are there for the right reasons. Just like any other social media site, it is easy for those who are looking for ways to be dishonest to use your information for less than credulous purposes. Although seemingly harmless, there are things that people can do from your profile. Making sure that you are monitoring it carefully is crucial to protecting yourself. There are three things that can signal tampering into your account.Watching for them is part of successfully dating online.
Why would anyone want to get into your dating profile?
The whole concept may seem silly. Who on Earth would want to hack into your dating profile. By pretending to be someone they aren’t, they can manipulate people into telling them personal information about themselves. They also can hack into your account. When they gain access, if you have a credit card on file, or other personal account information, they can get into your accounts and use your identity. Once gaining access they can really get into anything they want. Dating sites can be scary for single women and men alike. Like anything on the internet, you never know who is on the other end of the connection. People can say they are whoever they want, and there is really no way to prove they aren’t until you meet them face to face. That alone is scary enough. By using your account, they can talk to people, have conversations with others, and chat on the site with ease. Pretending to be you, there is no way to trace it back to them. They remain anonymous.
The three signals that someone other than you is using your account
The problem with people hijacking your dating profile is that by the time you know, the damage is already done. A hacker can use your information for a long time without being found out. These three things may be a sign that someone is pretending to be you:
1. You are getting correspondence from people you never contacted. If you are getting correspondence from people saying that they accept your request and you didn’t make one, there is most likely someone using your account.
2. People that you aren’t talking to are sending you things that indicated they have talked to you before. If someone is sending you messages like you have had a conversation with them in the past and you haven’t, there is a good chance that someone is posing as you. Don’t ever assume that they just hit the wrong button, or mistook you for someone else. It is crucial to always verify with the dating site directly.
3. If you get a message to verify your account, don’t ever answer it, especially if they are asking you to verify your personal information. Don’t ever answer any email from a company. Go to the site, log in, and check to see if there are any messages. If you don’t see any problems, contact the company directly to verify that they are the ones contacting you.
If you suspect that anyone is using your account make sure to contact the site immediately and shut down any connected accounts. Cancel any credit cards you may have used and make them aware of the indiscretion, just in case. If you ever suspect that someone is using your account, make sure to contact them immediately. Even if you are wrong, it is better to check and make sure. You don’t want to take a chance that someone is going to use your information, or your name, to take advantage of you or someone else.
How can you avoid problems with dating sites and security?
When possible, only use those sites that have the highest security measures taken. There should be disclaimers that outline the policies that they have in place. It can be arduous, but make sure to read the entire statement in totality. Don’t ever sign up for a dating site you aren’t sure about (read more), or answer any correspondence from one, unless you verify that it is coming from the company and not an outside party.
