How to Eliminate Online Predators by Tony Mayer

Today I am going to write about something that I'm sure that you are all familiar with; online predators.

At Widow / Widower Dating, we have always tried to discourage talking about them or even using the "S-word". I'm sure that most of them are MUCH more familiar with this very common term that is used to describe them than they would be with "online predators" or "internet con artists".

To make matters worse, many people have almost made it a hobby to discuss these low-life scumbags!!! I'm sure that these people THINK that they are helping their fellow widows and widowers when they do this, but they are in fact doing the exact opposite!

When an online predator sees the common word most commonly used to describe them, they most likely recognize it immediately. Then it would stand to reason that they would read the post about them.

These posts usually have content like, "I knew he/she was a "S" because, (here's where the education begins, folks) "they worked as...", "their name was...", " they said... ". "the photo...", etc, etc...

Now, this is a very sad fact, but most of the people who get taken to the cleaners by sending their money to complete strangers on the internet who they have never even seen or spoken with, are likely to be easy targets regardless of what they have heard or read. So, unfortunately, reading about how to spot online predators is actually little or no help for those who really need it the most.

What discussing them IS, however, is an excellent education for the online predators to become much BETTER at what they do. This creates "Online Predator 2.0" and gets more widowed people's bank accounts cleaned out.

Most online predators used to be as dumb as a rock, and it was SUPER easy to weed them right out. This is rapidly becoming more of a challenge. At WWD, our members safety has always been our very highest priority, but ultimately, your safety begins with you.

If you are communicating with someone on Facebook messenger, and you have any doubts whatsoever (for ANY reason) as to whether they are legitimate or not (and you should...), I have a VERY simple solution that will not educate the online predator in any way. It will simply shut them down immediately and eliminate any potential threat.

How? Certainly not by discussing them. All you have to do to immediately know if the face of the person you are messaging with matches the profile photo is to do a quick Facebook Video Call (100% free). If they refuse to do it, I highly recommend that you immediately block them.

Now, I know that you ladies like to "put your face on" (makeup, hair, all of that stuff) before being in a video call, but most guys couldn't care less. If you don't feel like getting all gussied up for a normal video call, just hold your phone (or computer) to the side a little so that you can't be seen, but the other person can.

Just that simple! It shuts down any online predator immediately... As far as membership here on our website/blog, this is the only part of the WWD Organization that is available to the public, and even here, you can choose whether your membership is public or private. I would ask that you do the same thing here as you all do on other parts of WWD. Report anything unusual or suspicious to me. (ONLY this website/blog. I am fully retired from all other parts of the organization, and you would need to contact a Moderator or an Admin for issues on every other part of WWD.)

You have always done an amazing job of covering each other's backs by reporting things that don't seem quite right to Admins and Moderators. I would like to not only commend you for that, but I ask you to do the same thing here by reporting things that don't seem legitimate to me here on the website/blog. I DO have the capability to block members here.

Most conventional dating sites get members taken in daily (I know because I used to volunteer for two of the very popular ones). Considering that we have been around since 02-Aug-2007, and have only had one single person taken in during all of those years (still one too many...), I feel like we have a pretty good track record. Also, the person who ran a con on the member had only been a member them-self for a little less than 2 hours. They had been removed and a group alert had been posted immediately, as usual, to warn any other members who may have been talking with them. We have ALWAYS gone above and beyond in trying to protect our members by doing this on the very rare occasions that one sneaks in under the radar.

The member who was taken in was also warned in a private message that the person had been removed and that they were dealing with a con artist. They were told to block them, but unfortunately, they sent them their life's savings instead.

Folks, PLEASE don't be duped! I know that many of you are lonely and would love to find someone, but just remember to keep yourself safe, and to NEVER, EVER send anyone online money for any reason!!! And, lastly, if something doesn't seem right here, please report it to me.

I hope you are all having a great day,

Tony

Bonnie and I in a Facebook Video Call.