Over 99% of the men and women who are members of quality online dating and matchmaking sites like Reciprodate are genuine and are just here to meet new people. However, please be aware that there are sometimes criminals who come on to prey on unsuspecting victims and to con them out of money and/or other items of value.

While Reciprodate carefully screens all of its potential members before allowing them to join and send emails, the nature of many of these scams makes it extremely difficult to preemptively prevent them. However, Reciprodate does collaborate with the Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as aid other international law enforcement agencies in the apprehension of criminals using this site to perpetrate their scams.

These scams can come in all shapes and sizes, so be wary of any suspicious-sounding request made to you by someone you do not know or have only met online. Here are two of the more popular scams that you should definitely be cognizant of:

1. "Nigerian Money Scam"
2. "Russian Dating Scam"

In general, if someone you just met online (or only know online) asks you for money or personal information that may allow them access to your money (e.g. bank account number, social security number, etc.), this should be a strong red flag to you. If you are still inclined to move forward with establishing a personal or business relationship, it may be a good idea to first conduct a background check on this person.

If you don't know where to conduct a background check, US Search is a reputable agency that conducts very thorough online dating background checks.