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Avoid Romance Scammers With These Tips

Author Kayla Morgan

Leading up to Valentine’s Day, many officials are warning people about romance scams. Unfortunately, this is something that targets people of all backgrounds and ages. With access to technology, many people are forming friendships and potential love interests through social media, mobile game apps, and online dating websites. While these platforms have worked for some, not everyone online has the best intentions. Ahead of February 14, AARP suggested some tips on how to identify and avoid potential romance scams.

“On the one hand, online dating sites, social media, and mobile game apps have made connecting easier than ever,” said David Kalinoski, Associate Director of Outreach for AARP Pennsylvania, “but the internet is full of scammers eager to take advantage of lonely hearts, and their ranks are growing.”

Watch out for scams, says AARP. Be cautious if you receive unexpected invitations while gaming, scrolling through social media, or using dating apps. If you accept and start communicating with a new friend who suggests moving to another platform, be wary. A quick romantic relationship might form with reasons for not meeting in person, such as working abroad or military service. Soon, requests for money or cryptocurrency investments may come up. The fake relationship ends when the scammer disappears, or you realize it was a scam.

When it comes to red flags, the request for money is definitely a big one, but typically other indicators appear along the way. They can include relationships that develop quickly, requests to move off the platform where you first connected, and never getting to meet in person.

Helpful Tips to Avoid Romance Scams

Here are some essential tips to steer clear of romance scams. When connecting with new people online, exercise caution to avoid falling prey to deceptive people who may pretend to be someone they’re not. Take a moment to use your browser’s image search feature if you have a photo of your romantic interest to identify any potential red flags.

If you find yourself being asked for money by someone you’ve only encountered online, be alert, as this is a common tactic in scams. In such cases, AARP advises to cut off contact immediately and report the incident to the platform where the initial interaction took place. Staying vigilant and following these precautions can help safeguard against the risks associated with online romance scams.

For more information on how to avoid potential romance scams, take a look at more tips here.

Best and Worst Emojis for Dating and Flirting: List

If you’re dating in 2022, then texting is likely going to be a big part of your, well, courtship. I mean, who talks on the phone anymore? It’s all about texting and instant messaging that special someone to get to know them and set up a time to meet IRL.

Now, a new report shows that new love often begins in a relationship via texting… with heavy use of emojis. But, what are the best and worst emojis to use when dating- or at least flirting?

The report comes from the Adobe Future of Creativity: 2022 U.S. Emoji Trend Report. For the report, Adobe surveyed 5,000 U.S. emoji users to discover how they use emojis to get to know a potential significant other. The report discovered that 72% of U.S. emoji users say they definitely use emojis in dating or flirting messages.

For a while, people were saying emojis were a thing of the past, but according to this new study, the younger generations use them the most. So, they’re still hip. Adobe found 58% of Gen Zers and 54% of millennials said they would give a second and third date to someone who used emojis. Gen Zers, around 38% of them, also stated they wouldn’t have a serious relationships with someone who doesn’t use emojis. What really stings, though, is when emojis are used to end things. According to the report, 32% of Gen Zers say they have actually been broken up with via emoji. Dagger to the heart. Read on for the full list of the best and worst emojis for dating according to Adobe, plus a few from yours truly.

  • Top three most popular emojis for dating and flirting

    1. Kiss with heart emoji. – I use this with everyone! Guess I need to settle down, if it’s going to be taken as a flirting emoji.
    2. Sweet face surrounded by hearts emoji. – This is a cute one. I never really thought of it as flirty, but I guess it is?
    3. Heart eyes emoji. – This is a good one if you want to show your significant other that you think they’re a hottie.

    Apple Holds Event

    (Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images)

  • Three least popular emojis for dating and flirting

    1. Poop emoji. Why would you use this one?
    2. Angry face emoji. Not flirty, but if you’re angry about something that happened during your day, why not?
    3. Eggplant emoji. I literally have never used this emoji. I did not even know it existed.

    Poop emoji

    Poop emoji

  • Honorable mention: Most popular emojis for dating and flirting

    This is just my opinion, not based in any kind of data, but I think the “Face with Stuck-Out Tongue and Winking Eye” emoji is a winner. I mean, it might be a bit much, but do you really want be in a relationship with someone who can’t handle this whimsical emoji? No. The answer is no.

    Funny emoji faces

    Funny emoji faces

  • Honorable mention: least popular emojis for dating and flirting

    Again, this is just my opinion, but “Nauseated Face Emoji” is one I would stay away from at all coasts. Unless you have food poisoning or are throwing up because of being ill, I just don’t think it’s appealing to get this one from something you are dating.

    Latest Consumer Technology Products On Display At CES 2017

    (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

  • Source

    This is via The Adobe Future of Creativity: 2022 U.S. Emoji Trend Report.

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.

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