Recent dating scams statistics are more than enough to put anyone off of trying to find a relationship online, let alone a sugar one. In 2021 alone, victims lost around $304 million by falling for cybercriminals’ traps, finding themselves swindled by their online sweethearts. Most of the time, the money is the least of the damage caused by dating scammers. So, the biggest problem it’s the breach of trust and the feeling of betrayal.

When it comes to sugar dating, the scamming opportunities are almost limitless. Anyone can assume a fake identity of an uber-rich sugar daddy or a gorgeous sugar baby to take advantage of the other. That’s why it’s incredibly important to practice caution and only use verified sugar dating sites like Sugar.ie to find your perfect partner. Even though the risk with us is minimal, we have gathered some crucial pieces of advice that will help you stay away from the clutches of sugar dating scammers.

Here are some of the most common online dating scams signs:

1. They’re too far away from dating scammers

One of the first and most obvious giveaways is the refusal to meet, followed by endless excuses of why they can’t see you. Sugar daddy scammers will use common stories like:

• They’re successful professionals far too busy with their important work.
• They’re working on a key project outside of the UK.
• They’re traveling for business or pleasure purposes and won’t come back to the country for a while.

Sugar baby common dating scams might be something like:

• They’re studying for exams
• They’re too busy with school or work
• They have a friend, or a family member going through something and need their constant support

Their stories always will almost always seem exaggerated and soon enough, they might lose themselves in the lies, so pay close attention to any inconsistencies.

2. They seem too good to be true dating scam

Now, this is something that is incredibly hard to judge when you’re a sugar dater. But a legitimate dating profile will usually have a lot of pictures of the person in different situations. These pictures should be showing their full body and maybe some family or friends. They might also include links to their social media profiles.

On the other hand, an account that’s fake will have just one or two pictures and no information or just a little bit. Incidentally, all of their hobbies and interest will be the same as yours – these similarities might be the warning that their profile is not what it seems.

3. They need a lot of money, paid in specific ways

It is perfectly normal for a sugar relationship to be fairly transactional and for a sugar baby to ask for an allowance or money to compensate for their time. What is unusual though, is if they ask for money frequently without meeting their side of the obligations and ask for the payments as:

• Wire transfers
• Gift cards
• A newly established bank account

These are the best ways to receive money while staying anonymous so be cautious.

To stay safe from online sugar dating scams, always pay attention to red flags and evaluate their online presence. You can approach your relationships slowly and still ask to meet or video chat early on. We can always outsmart a romance scammer if you remain vigilant enough!