A quick scan of your dating profile could provide a scammer with exactly what they want. Here’s how to keep your personal details safe

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A quick scan of your dating profile could provide a scammer with exactly what they want. Here’s how to keep your personal details safe

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More than $38 million was lost to dating and romance scams across the country last year.

But that only accounts for the losses reported to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch, so the true figure is likely much higher.

Romance scams can involve months of conversations and building trust, but some scammers can strike without needing to invest much time.

Sometimes all it takes is a quick scan of your dating profile for scammers to get the personal information they need.

Here’s how to spot a scammer and how to keep your personal information safe.

What do scammers need to steal your identity?

Ritesh Chugh, an associate professor at Central Queensland University’s College of Information and Communication Technology, says there’s a lot scammers can do with your full name, email address, phone number, birthdate and home address.

“Cybercriminals don’t need access to all of these pieces of information,” Dr Chugh says. 

He says they could cherrypick a few vital bits of information, such as your full name and date of birth, and that could be enough for their fraudulent activities. 

And when scammers know how and where to look for these details, it doesn’t take much to find them. 

Here are some ways to protect yourself against scammers on dating apps.

How to build a safe profile

Scan your photos for personal details

“I think my key message is to avoid sharing any personally identifiable information through the profile picture,” Dr Chugh says. 

Before you add a picture to your profile, scan for personal details and pay attention to the things in the background of the photo.

Keep things like name badges or uniforms out of them, because they could give someone a clue about where you work. 

And be wary of putting local landmarks in the background. 

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