When joining dating sites, the goal is to find a match and fall in love. However, the ability to hide behind electronic device screens in many cases is resulting in financial and emotional scams from some not-so-trustworthy people.
In 2018, romance scams cost online daters $143 million dollars, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The average loss was $2,600, which is seven times higher than any other type of fraud reported. The FTC says that the scammers usually conjure creative tales of misfortune or emergencies that requires financial assistance. Instead of finding romance, you may end up losing money, wasting your time, opening your heart to the wrong person or at the very worst putting yourself in danger.
Professional Christian Matchmaker Renee Richel addresses some of the questions she is asked about the risks of on line dating and how romance scams can be avoided by working with a professional matchmaker in our True Talk with Renee:
Q: How is your matchmaking process any different than filling out an online profile on a dating site?
A: “I get this question a lot and honestly it’s a huge difference. The first step in our process would be to have in-person interview with you to really get to know you on a deeper level, which helps us when we start our search for you. We take the time to learn about your likes and dislikes, goals and dreams, and your attractions in a partner. This helps us to really get a sense of what makes you tick and what kind of person you would click with. We ask questions that an online dating profile wouldn’t ask, and we have all clients take the 16Personalities test that determines what truly drives, inspires and worries you. We also use the The 5 Love Languages® quiz. This exercise shows how identifying your love language can help you connect with a partner on a higher level of intimacy.”
Q: How do I know I’m meeting someone trustworthy through 1 True Match and not someone fishing around on dating sites?
A: “After we have the initial consultation with you and understand exactly what you’re looking for, we begin interviewing and vetting potential matches for you. All of the matches we give you come with a full profile, verified photos, and our true opinion on each person. We ask each potential match the difficult, personal questions to make sure we are providing you with someone trustworthy and emotionally ready. We also conduct a background check that includes a criminal history and a credit report. We want to make sure you are with someone who is safe, honest and has the financial resources they claim to have. We don’t want you to give your heart to anyone who isn’t who they say there are and/or may be looking to take advantage of you.
You’re not going to get that level of honesty and insight from someone filling out a questionnaire on a dating app. People tend to embellish their information to make them seem more interesting or appealing. A computer program can only systematically match data points, which means it’s not able to accurately evaluate your personality and distinguish the qualities that make you special. We narrow down the matches to give you the best possible candidates, instead of having to search through a sea of embellished profiles on dating sites.”
Q: I don’t want to waste my time with flings or hook ups, and my experience on dating sites have been with people who weren’t really looking for a long-term relationship. How can 1 True Match help me find someone who wants a committed relationship?
A: “That is a big concern for many of my clients and to be honest it’s what drives many of them to use our services. Throughout the matchmaking process, we help you determine what you want in the future and what you think is important for a relationship to prosper. At 1 True Match, we make sure we don’t match two people together that don’t have the same values or goals for their future. When you use dating sites, you never really know the person’s true intentions.
Throughout the matchmaking process, we are in constant communication to provide feedback and assess whether the dates were successful for both parties. In many cases, it takes time to truly evaluate the potential of a relationship and we are here to help you every step of the way. We don’t rush the process or expect instant chemistry. We work hard to build trusting relationships among you so that you fully understand each other and can make a well-informed decision with your heads and heart to know if this is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with.”
Q: How do I know that 1 True Match is worth the money compared to the price of dating sites?
A: “Ah, I love this question because it truly speaks to the value we place on investing in your future. Dating in today’s world can be challenging and frankly a little scary, and these dating apps whether they’re paid or free, are putting you in the hands of a computerized matching system and leaving you vulnerable to potential scammers. I personally have more than two decades of experience in working with men and women to find what they are truly looking for in a partner and in their lives. Sometimes our expertise includes the services of our beauty experts to provide a makeover with hair, makeup and wardrobe shopping. We also offer photo shoots and feedback after your dates to ensure that you are presenting your best self to the world. You can read some of our success stories here to see how your investment can pay off.”
Don’t let yourself fall victim to online romance scammers on those dating sites. Schedule a complimentary consultation with 1 True Match to see how we can help you get back in the dating game and find a partner that has the same goals, hopes, and dreams as you!
