Online 'crush' could be crook

More and more Americans are seeking — and finding — love online, and that means scammers and crooks are looking to horn in on the action, too.

More than 90 percent of single Americans say they've tried online dating, according to a 2015 survey by Statistic Brain Research Institute, which also found that 17 percent of marriages in the past year started with online romances.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, experts are warning prospective cyberdaters to watch out for potential scams by following some basic safety guidelines.

If you don't think it can happen to you, consider this: Last year, the Indiana attorney general's consumer protection division received 21 complaints about "romance scams." And in two of those cases, the victims lost money — a total of $106,000 — to sweet-talking scammers who convinced the love-lorn Hoosiers they were interested in more than just their money.

According to a report from nextadvisor.com, online dating sites and apps will see a rush around Sunday's annual holiday-o-love. And that crush of activity will allow scammers to cast a wide net for potential victims.

Blogger Emily Bartz, who covers online dating for nextadvisor.com, said some dating sites are more prone to scams than others. She also noted that the sites see a big increase in use in the run-up to Valentine's Day, and that many of those people are eager to make a love connection, which makes them particularly vulnerable.

"There is definitely more of a chance that the new users will become victims," she said. "They are eager for a relationship and may not be as careful as they should be about guarding their personal information."

While many of us may be able to spot a robot or catfish, the website warns, "there are many other types of scams being performed on a daily basis that users should be aware of and ready to report in the event that they do come in contact with these scammers."

Knowledge is power. So, here are three common online dating scams identified by nextadvisor.com — and what you can do to avoid becoming a victim.

Survey scammers

Survey scammers take a seemingly harmless approach that makes them appear to be friendly and curious at first, but later leads users to giving up personal information. Their strategy is to match with as many online daters as possible. Often, they begin conversations with a simple question or two about the user’s experience on that particular dating site. They often pose as a fellow dater or an employee of the service who is curious about others' experiences with the service. They establish a level of trust that leads to victims giving out personal information, such as their phone number, home address or payment information.

Warning signs to look for …

Be wary of anyone who begins a conversation by asking you to participate in some type of survey. Any mention of the word “survey” is an obvious cause for concern, but daters also should be wary of questions related to their opinion of the service and its other inhabitants, as well as requests for account or personal information.

Identity thieves

Identity theft is an ever-growing problem, and it’s quite easy for a hacker to lure an online dater into a trap and ultimately gain access to enough information to steal their identity. This type of scam is one of the most difficult to recognize, as the scammer will often spend months feigning real romantic interest, slowly gaining the victim's trust and building up enough of a rapport that their victim remains almost entirely in the dark.

Warning signs to look for …

These scammers will often shower their match with affectionate words, especially right off the bat, in order to create an illusion of romance. Identity thieves are often charming and know what to say to their matches to get them to hand over everything they need to steal their identity. Even something as simple as “What’s your dog’s name?” can be more detrimental than you think, because pet names are often used in passwords or security questions for online accounts.

If a prospect starts seeking personal information, your best bet may be to suggest meeting offline (that is, if you are actually interested and feel ready to take the communication to that level). A scammer will usually refuse or avoid an in-person meeting, while a real dater will likely be happy to drop the questions and meet up for a date.

Personal crisis scammers

One of the most difficult types of online dating scammers to deal with is someone who comes across as extremely sincere and tugs at your heartstrings as their main mode of deception. They use guilt to get matches to give them money, favors and even gifts. Often they will tell stories about being down on their luck in order to attract sympathy before they ask for whatever they think they can get out of their victim.

Warning signs to look for …

A sad, personal story can be extremely believable. Ultimately, it’s up to online daters to be skeptical about any story they hear immediately after they make contact with someone. Remember that if someone is asking you for money or gifts through an online dating site, especially if it’s your first message, it’s likely a scam.

IndyStar Call for Action open today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Here are a few other things from the Statistic Brain Research Institute's 2015 report, Online Dating Statistics, to consider before you log on looking for love:

49.2 million — American adults who say they've tried online dating.

10% — Sex offenders who use online dating to meet people.

53% — People who say they've simultaneously dated more than one person they've met online.

Men — Lie most about age, height and income.

Women — Lie most about weight, build and age.

Tim Evans, IndyStar's consumer advocate, is too old to have ever used an online dating service. Call him at (317) 444-6204 and follow him on Twitter: @starwatchtim.