INDIANAPOLIS — A lot of dating starts online, which means things might not always be what they seem.
But a couple of tools can help you highlight concerns sooner rather than later.
Romance Scams
Zulfikar Ramzan with the digital safety company Aura said romance scams first aim to lower your guard.
Then, their intentions become clear.
"The scammer's goal is to get something out of it, some financial benefit," Ramzan said.
The benefit can come in the form of gifts, money or sensitive information that can be used later on.
"The average scam results in the loss of about $2,000 per person," Ramzan said.
And a sign of a scam right off the bat is an unwillingness to meet in person or video chat.
"They'll find an excuse. Maybe they'll be in a different country, or something else has come up. They just got sick," Ramzan said.
You can also run their pictures online to see if the photos are stolen from someone else's profile or website.
Simply save the person's photos and upload them to Google Images for a search.
Background Checks
Let's say the person is real, their photos are real, and you just want to run a mini background check.
The Department of Justice offers a national registry to see if the person is a registered sex offender.
Indiana residents can also head to the Indiana Court Public Portal to search for marriage licenses, protective orders and court cases.
Keep in mind that people have the same name. Make sure you have the right person by checking their description or middle initial.
However, just because someone has a past does not mean you should necessarily discount their future. These are just tools to limit surprises and keep you informed.