Dating is often tricky enough, without having to worry about if someone who is who they say they are.

Increasingly though, people are sharing stories of scammers popping up and convincing people online to share financial information, like bank account details.

These scams can be very costly for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

Here are a few ways to spot a scammer:

1. They don’t want to meet in person or come up with excuses after promising to meet.
2. They have a ‘crisis’ or ’emergency’ and need money to get out of it.
3. Details of their stories change over time. For example, someone may say they live in a country area, then another day say they live in the city.

Keep in mind, these scammers often use very clever tactics, so there’s no shame if you’ve been a victim of one of these schemes. It can happen to any of us.

CLICK BELOW TO READ MORE ABOUT THE SIGNS OF A SCAM AND HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

If you’re feeling distressed, you can always contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.