When seeking romance on the Internet, you should be aware of the many scammers that are seeking to victimize those looking for love.



A friend of mine recently experienced a scammer's attempt to get into his wallet. I warned him of the danger, but he wanted his new girl to be real, so he was willing to remain optimistic through the entire process.



Don't get me wrong, I do not have a problem with optimistic people, especially since I live an optimistic life, even myself.



Through the entire process, my friend would call and ask what I thought of his interactions for that day. I tried not to be too critical of his potential new love, but I frequently cautioned him to look for red flags in her story.



Here is a short list of the Red Flags you should be aware of when seeking a date online:



* Declarations of Love after only a few emails. When someone declares their undying love after only a few emails and before you have met them in person, the most impressive of red flags should be triggered. There are only two types of people who declare love, without first meeting you in person: 1] desperate stalkers (do you remember the movie, Fatal Attraction), or 2] scammers.



* They Are Out-of-Country - They may say they are from the United States, but for whatever reason, they are outside the country currently. This is the first signal of their upcoming bait-and-hook strategy. What this generally leads to is a suggestion that they do not have the money to come home and they need your assistance to pay for their flight; or in one conversation I was involved, her U.S. babysitter is demanding money to pay for babysitting services for her young child. If you send them the money, they will lose it, or the money will be stolen from them, and they will need more so that they can get back home to you.



* They Dodge Personal Questions - They always seem distracted or dim-witted when you ask them questions. Nine times in ten, they will never answer a question you asked. If you are wondering what is up, keep asking questions. This is important, and it takes us to our next red flag.



* Look For Inconsistencies In Their Story - My friend finally caught the red flag when his girl, who had already explained that both of her parents had died in a car wreck four years before, slipped up. She said the reason that she chose to go to college in Nigeria (go figure) was that her dad "owns" a business there. (Which dad? Her dead one?)



* Bad Grammar and Spelling - Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of people here in the U.S., who don't spell so hot. But those who are in the States will mask their poor spelling and grammar with plenty of abbreviations: LOL (Laughing Out Loud), BRB (Be Right Back), TTYL (Talk To You Later), CYA (See Ya), ROFLOL (Rolling On the Floor Laughing Out Loud), and WTF (What The ... you