
SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years

From time to time we will review dating websites for Scammer Activity.
CUPID.com
MEDIUM Risk Website
Cupid.com, from our own observations appears to have a medium to low percentage of Scammers from Africa and Eastern Europe. They make up the minority of new profiles on their website from what we have seen, but they are still there. We have also observed that they also make it very difficult to notify them of a found scammer. In fact,we could not find a way to notify them, only a “block” button, which leaves the scammer to go after others. The only mechanism appears to be their general “Contact Us” page. In actuality, because it is a small number, in comparison to sites like POF or Confiro or Badoo, it makes the scammers that are there more powerful, since you don’t expect them. It is for these reasons that we feel they are a MEDIUM Risk – though they could rate a lower risk if they gave the power to their member to report scammers much more easily.
The scammers engage in messages, since most of their activity involves creating “Trial” memberships, so in the trial period they can contact you freely and try to get you onto yahoo messenger or email quickly.
Note: the person pictured above is a reported scammer named Selena Morgan. For more information please refer to this profile on VK.com: http://vk.com/id192598176 – note the parts about Africa!!! (see below)
Another example we found doing a search by user name of the word “Gifty” (which is a dead giveaway scammer code word) found dozens of scammer profiles. It appears Cupid.com management doesn’t follow this Anti-scammer website! Similarly other code words yielded similar results! Perhaps they should hire us as an Anti-Scammer consultant, since we know the scammer genome-type far better than they do!
Scammers are fairly easy to spot from the following:
- Anyone that uses a last name (though this is only about 10% of the scammers that do this)
- Anyone that lists a ridiculous age range, such as “Wants to date with guys, 23-65” – but you will also see “Wants to date with guys, older than 30“
- Look at the age of the person and the photo – they will not match – it is possible that a real person is not using recent photos, but do you want to talk to them anyway?
- Look at the Verification: they have text message phone numbers so this means nothing, they have Facebook and Google plus accounts so this means nothing too!
- Look at their location. For example: they list Miami or Los Angeles – we all know that ever big metro areas have numerous districts and towns within them, but they list the generic place.
- They tend to cluster in certain towns and cities. Testing their knowledge about these proves fatal to them, so they generally don’t answer these questions (go on Google and look up some business in that town that a local should know) (local parks and landmarks are also good tests)
- Real people have a lot of photos – scammers generally have a couple too about 6 – one trick they use is to reload them several times to make it look like they have a larger album
- When your popularity goes up, you are probably being scanned by the scammers, especially as time goes by – since this site is all about “Who’s New”
- On-line hours – real people are usually on-line in normal hours for your time zone – very late at night is a hint that it’s a scammer.
- Military personnel – scammers love to impersonate military personnel, but don’t get Military structure – if you do, use it to your advantage – they are great ways to catch them in stupid answers.
- Look at their interests – you will find odd and out dated interests, like: CSI Real people have quirky interests, and interests that are local and make sense. Or they have NONE Also, if they have an interest that you don’t recognize, Google it – if it is mostly European or African – run away!
- Anyone that claims to be using a family member or friends profile is a give away, and a violation of the site’s terms and conditions – by definition they are impersonating someone else
- Look at the age, a common mistake is that they put they year of birth in as their age! Stupid scammers!
- In messaging, the scammers trip themselves up in several ways!
- Claim they have languages they don’t have
- Use scammer grammar – watch for it
- Refuse to answer questions about their town in detail
- Don’t seem to read previous message posts that should be right in front of them
- By pass certain topics
- If you mention scammers they claim not to know what you are talking about
- If you catch one and confront them, they don’t know what you mean – a real person accused of being a scammer would be upset
- If you ask out of the blue: “Do you live in a suburb or Accra or in the city proper” (same for Lagos)
As a user on the site, we suggest that you make your photos PRIVATE. That way you can share them when you want, but keep them hidden from the scammers.
We strongly urge Cupid.com to do the right thing, and do a comparison between the location given for the profile and the login IP addresses – this is easy tech and something all dating sites should do. If they don’t match, send them for a human review or delete them – this is the best way to restore faith in your site!
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Important Information for New Scam Victims
- Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
- Enroll in FREE SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org
- Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery
If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org
If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
A Note About Labeling!
We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.
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