10 Steps to Prevent Fraud, Even if You’re Painfully Single

The beginning of an epic romance

Laura Berlinsky-Schine
The Belladonna Comedy

woman sitting on bed on laptop blowing on a cup of coffee
Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels

We all know that savvy scammers are getting worse every day. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making sure that you don’t fall victim — and possibly finding love while you’re at it!

Take this scenario: You receive an email from a Nigerian prince asking you for financial help. (Sure, this sounds like the beginning of an epic romance, but not so fast.)

1. Let yourself do a happy dance, but be on the alert.

First, remember that out of all the single ladies who have finally paid off their college loans (yesterday), he picked you! So what if he called you “madame” and actually spelled it “madume”? He sought you out.

That said, you should be somewhat wary. This bears further investigation. What number in the succession line is he? Is he a Harry or a William? Elizabeth or Margaret? Charlotte or Samantha?

2. Respond by inquiring about the basics.

What’s he looking for, aside from your social security number? Is he emotionally available? How long ago was his last relationship? Why did it end? Is it possible that they only called it quits because he had to go into hiding? If that’s the case, you might need to probe for any unresolved issues/feelings…

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