No. A Facebook profile is unnecessary if you wish to join a dating service or use their app. It’s merely an optional feature for singles wanting to avoid various steps in the online dating registration process. It helps them automatically upload pictures from their already-established social media profile.
If you would prefer NOT to link your Facebook profile to your online dating, use a phone number, social media profile, or email address to establish identity and get your dating profile started. Our list above all features sites that don’t require using Facebook.
About Facebook Dating
Facebook Dating, the dating service established by Facebook, is the exception to the rule. All users must download the Facebook app and connect it to their profile.
But, the Facebook Dating profile is kept a secret from one’s newsfeed. One’s Facebook friends won’t know about dating online in your life.
Facebook Dating may not be ideal for people who want serious relationships. It sounds good on paper- finding love through what you’re interested in, but you’ve got to be extremely careful while doing this. Why? Read on to learn more.
Scams Abound on Facebook
Facebook romance scams are a thing, so we recommend using one of our verified sites above. Facebook and Facebook Dating are accessible places for scammers to hide out and target other users to steal their hard-earned cash.
Nobody talks about Facebook romance scams enough, so we’re here to mention this. With help from the information at Romancescams.org, we’re going to walk you through this to help you stay safe from those who are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
What’s A Facebook Romance Scam?
Although Facebook isn’t designed for dating, people still go there to find love and friendship. For romance scams, a human on the net uses stolen or faked pictures to impersonate somebody else. It’s colloquially called “catfishing.”
They target lonely singles – usually older, widowed folks – and begin an online relationship built upon lies and manipulation, all in the name of money.
On Facebook, such scammers are challenging to detect and most difficult to handle, as the site is sprawling and the profiles are unique and highly variable. Romance scams are a huge issue in the United States. $230 million gets scammed yearly, so don’t be part of that enormous amount.
How Do Such Scams Happen?
Facebook is not a pay-to-play dating website. So, everybody uses it for free since all they need is Internet access to make it happen.
Many people enjoy the site’s networking aspects since it’s easier to figure out than subscription-dating platforms, which charge your card money and are sometimes unaffordable. Romance scammers have a simpler time finding marks because people don’t expect them to be scammers.
Examples of lies that scammers tell are numerous. There are dozens of ways a romance scammer will lie and get into your money and one’s heart. There is no set of rules that tell you how to handle one of these scammers, but we do know of patterns that usually occur that scream, “Scam Alert!”
Here’s what to check for when interacting with somebody you just met.
Group Creeper
Facebook is known for having groups you can participate in with friends and others who share your interest. But be wary of scammers who take advantage of these groups and use them as meeting spots for lonely widows/widowers. Don’t let somebody take advantage of your interest to steal your heart and ask you for money.
Communication
People on Facebook who ask you to get off the chats and use another method of communication are suspect. Facebook keeps a record of all its chats, so scammers often try to lure you away to WhatsApp/Email/texting. They usually give an excuse that a legitimate person will not do.
Bare-Bones Profiles
People with very little or no active family/friends are likely, not genuine. Not everybody’s on Facebook, but it’s easy to know a real user from a fake by looking at the posts they’re tagged in. Everybody’s in at least a few un-photogenic shots.
Lost People
A scammer may reach out and act like they are a native to your country- Canadian in this case -but they’re stuck now in a foreign land and need your help. They need money to come home because they’re “so excited to meet you.”
Fee Scams
Marriage licenses, customs fees, or wire-transfer fees- scammers are trying to get you to shell out, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. Do not send scammers any money.
They’re In Distress
They’ll explain some crazy situation to you- e.g., they were kidnapped or need help in the form of money being sent, and only you can save them.
Military Romance
Pictures of women/men in the US or Canadian Armed Forces are stolen and used to make people fall in love. They will use this to explain why they’re not in your country and make you fall in love. They will ask for money for equipment so they can communicate.
These schemes are just a tiny portion of what to look for when dealing with romance scammers. The fake profiles are made with very little care and effort and are usually easy to spot if you have an idea of what to look for as you browse.
Scammers with experience in the field will have lots of information on their profile to trick even the most experienced users, so remember: NEVER send money to anyone you’ve never met, and block/report them immediately.
How Scammers Steal Your Money?
When you think about it, it seems ridiculous that anyone could fall for these romance scams. But they’re incredibly common, and only a tiny fraction of scams get reported. It’s easy to laugh at some stories and think, “That would never happen to me,” but it’s prevalent.
Here are the ways scammers steal the money of hard working Canadians:
Vanilla Visa Gift Cards Or Visa Gift Cards: It is a common tactic they use and very easy to fall victim to. Many think it’s just a $100 gift card and a secure way to pay a “fee” or help out their love interest. But then, the scammer keeps asking for more or vanishes.
Money Order: Scammers will ask for large amounts in money orders, usually under the guise that somebody is unwell.
Plane Tickets Or Travel Expenses: The scammer will mention needing urgent travel, so they can “finally meet you” or tend to a family member. They will tell crazy stories and get you to send money. Do not fall for it.
Many scammers will start their tactics nicely and efficiently. They’ll ask first for a small amount and see if you’ll take the bait. Then, they’ll begin asking for more and more money.
They may ask for payment via Western Union, which is unusual today, with Paypal, Zelle, Venmo, and other cash-transfer services being much more popular and easy to use.
Just remember that scammers say and do anything to make you trust them. And when you feel cared about, in love, and wanted, it’s easy to feel generous and give all your money away. Many scam victims just want to feel cared about, and these scammers are playing off that need.
Keeping Yourself Safe
You might be wondering if you’re dating a scammer. The most effective way to tell is if they ask you for money even though you’ve never met, but there are other ways to speak if you’re dealing with one of them.
So, here are some tips to use to keep yourself out of the clutches of these greedy scammers and enjoy your time using online dating.
Keep Personal Data Private
Many folks need to be more wary of the Facebook privacy settings, and because Facebook enjoys updating the format and options often, you can find yourself needing clarification.
Within the privacy settings, review your account settings. Set your account as “Friends Only” so that private posts and pictures won’t be seen by people you’ve added.
Plus, you may not let search engines link to your profile unless you need a business (e.g., you run a business or provide a service in your community).
Ensure your phone, email, and private contact methods are hidden. Many folks lack privacy settings, so these scammers find them in moments.
Don’t Accept Friend Requests Unless There Are Mutual Friends
On Facebook, you can see that somebody is a mutual friend by checking out your approved friend list and seeing that you have that friend in common.
Facebook is a great way to meet new people online, but it’s better to connect with one of your other friends to verify that they are serious, genuine human beings.
You can change your privacy settings to “friends of friends only” in Privacy Settings. That way, it helps keep the people reaching out to you limited to people you’re connecting with in real life.
Watch Your Words in Groups
Facebook Community Groups are a big part of why we love using the website. You can find local information about your city, a hobby, and more. You can find groups related to your astrological sign and other fun things to enjoy.
Best of all, you get to connect with others and speak your mind. It’s a great place to make friends but also a place where scammers run wild.
While you’re in a group setting, especially a big one, be wary of your comments and posts. Keep personal data private, and speak with others over comments instead of DMs until you trust them.
Groups alone aren’t dangerous but can be unsafe if you take the conversation off-platform or into the direct messaging system.
Reverse Image Searching
Because fake profiles on Facebook and other dating sites never use genuine photos of themselves, the best way to learn if who you’re talking to is unreal is to conduct a little research.
Use their pics and the search engines, plus a reverse image searching tool, to reveal where the photo originated and where it got posted. Usually, there will be up to two results.
Sometimes, people upload the same picture to Facebook, Instagram, or a photography website. But fake/scam profiles will recycle photographs, and you’ll see many accounts using the same man or woman.
Don’t Send Money
The golden rule of keeping yourself free from the clutches of a scammer? Never send them a dime of your hard-earned money. You can help them by telling them to contact Social Services in their area or, if they’re overseas, the Canadian Embassy.
A scammer usually jumps from chatting in a friendly manner to a romantic way quickly, which means they pressure others to wire money ASAP.
These scammers are master manipulators, and they prey on your emotions. It’s easy to agree- you love them too, right? Don’t believe the hype. Block them and move on.
