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How To Avoid Online Dating Scams And Losing Money

People you meet online are not always who they say they are.

In 2007, a Singaporean woman was jailed for an online dating scam amounting to about $45,000. A married woman named Maliha Ramu used a false profile to begin an exploitative relationship with Bharani Indran who lives in United States. After Ramu promised to marry Indran, he began to send her money for her “mother’s funeral expenses” and “friend’s wedding expenses”.

Protect yourself from getting conned like so by using these tips to recognize when you are being scammed:

1. BACKGROUND SEARCH

Upon meeting someone you like online, do a profile search through Google and an image search through TinEye. TinEye allows you to upload a photo and retrace where it came from. I suggest you save the person’s profile picture or ask for some photos yourself. As for the profile, he or she will be virtually searchable on Google unless this person lived under a rock for the longest time.

If the person sent you a photo that looks like something from a magazine, be a little more suspicious. And if the person’s own online profile does not match the pictures you researched then keep your warning signals up.

2. PERSONAL EMAIL

Some online dating scammers are not interested with starting an long-term deceitful relationship with you, they merely want to send you with marketing mails and other spams. These scammers ask for your personal email address and never get back to you after that.

Aside from providing your personal email to people whom you are certain of, avoid these people by creating a separate email for your online dating activities. This way, you can easily delete or cancel your supplementary email if you start getting loads of spam mails.

3. INSTANT SOULMATES

If a person says that he or she loves you and wants to marry you after 20 minutes of chatting then, it is clearly a scam or you may just be messaging with an infatuated teen! You should know from your experiences or that of others that love is more than just a feeling. It is something that develops through time after several dates and conversation exchanges. It is built on mutual respect and trust.

If a person declared his affection for you without even seeing you in person or through video-chat, then it is probably a lie. Their underlying agenda will show soon after.

4. PIGGY BANK

A person is scamming you if he or she repeatedly asks you for money through an online dating site. These con artists can come up with various reasons such as family funeral, medical emergency, and mugging to make you send cash. It does not stop there! He or she may also ask you to send some gifts to help alleviate a financial hardship or to help prove your love.

So be wary of sending money to strangers especially using wire transfer or other electronic currencies because money transferred via these channels are hard to recover.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Singaporeans, Must You Discuss Your Salary To Your Spouse?

If you were tasked to participate in a television game show to test your knowledge about your spouse, how well do you think you will do? Getting your spouse’s full name correctly is easy. But will you still get it correctly if you were asked about your spouse’s exact income?

According to a 2015 survey by Fidelity Mutual, 43% of the participants had no clue about each other’s earnings. The percentage of couples who were ignorant about their incomes have grown compared to the survey 3 years ago. Furthermore, 1 in 10 people was off by US$25,000 (S$33,700). This is no laughing matter.

You cannot blame these numbers on poor communication alone as the ever-changing economy may also be the malefactor. A shift in the workplace is seen as many employees become freelancers while others work on multiple jobs with unpredictable hours (much like Uber drivers). If your spouse belongs to the cluster of people whose income is relatively unpredictable, you still have to be informed.

Asking anyone how much they make is a taboo subject especially in our Asian culture but if you are planning to spend the rest of your lives with the person, you have the right to know. Your annual household income dictates how you are able to save and your quality of life in general. Knowing each others’ assets and liabilities can help plan your future well (including your plan for retirement).

To put that in perspective, you have to realize that our lives are filled with uncertainties. Emergency expenses, hospitalization fees due to chronic illness, loss of a spouse and unemployment can affect your finances. You have to be prepared. This is why it is vital that married couples communicate and cooperate in managing their finances no matter how much they earn.

As you begin to open up about this subject, it can be uncomfortable for some and fight-inducing for others. Given the extent to which our society judges the person based on how much they earn, this particular subject is susceptible to dangers. Dangers that the other person can feel insecure, frustrated or inferior. But as Richard Vondra, the first Vice-President of Spire Investment Management, once said: “You don’t have to be rich, but you do need to make sure you’re able to support each other.”

Beyond your fear of being judged, knowing your spouse’s income is one of the most basic elements of your finances. Moreover, it may just be the key to your marital bliss! Studies have shown that the happiest couples talk about money and stay out of debt.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)

Ask yourself: “Will having this financial information change my life?” Then take action based on your answer.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6

5 Tips On Successfully Running The Business With Your Lover

Managing a business poses its challenges and managing one with the one you love can make it even tougher.

Luckily, there are different ways to successfully intersect your business with pleasure. Here are some of them:

1. PLAN AHEAD

Before diving into a business venture with your boyfriend or girlfriend, one of the first things you must develop is a concrete plan. If you have never gone to that route before, it is best to research on your target market and the business nature itself.

2. COMMUNICATE OPENLY

Transparency is important if you want to make things work. Talk openly and honestly about your expectations, your concerns, and your assigned roles. It will make the business easier to manage if you had established these things earlier on.

3. SET YOUR GOALS STRAIGHT

If you are going on a cruise or a romantic trip with your lover and you decide to mix the business elements by meeting a few potential clients along the way, always keep your business pitch. It would be a horrific loss to spend tons of money and time on a potential client who does not take you or the business seriously. This is why you must set your goals and stick with them.

4. HANDLE THE CHAOS WELL

Conflict and chaos will happen beyond your control and you have to figure out a solution without adding blaming, bad attitudes, and frustrations in the pot. Handle the chaos well by calmly solving each problem side by side. Control your business and prevent conflicts by using websites such as Basecamp and Yammer.

Basecamp is a web-based project management and collaboration tool that allows files, messages, schedules, and other stuff to be stored in one place. While, Yammer is a private social network that helps employees communication across departments and locations.

5. REMEMBER TO MAKE TIME FOR EACH OTHER

When you create a business with your partner, it is paramount to make time for quality dates or intimacy sessions. Start by deciding when you will close the operation of your business for “date nights”.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Reconnecting with your lover outside of work is important because you are more than just “business partners” you are an A+ couple!

Sources: 1 & 2

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