How To Avoid Sugar Daddy Scams will be described in this article. Scammers that pose as sugar daddies entice victims by offering what appear to be easy money in exchange for little work by using applications like Instagram, PayPal, or Cash App. Continue reading to learn how I discovered a phony sugar daddy who was attempting to con me. Installing an all-in-one privacy and security solution such as Avast One will then shield you from online frauds.
How To Avoid Sugar Daddy Scams In 2023
In this article, you can know about How To Avoid Sugar Daddy Scams here are the details below;
What is a sugar daddy?
An older guy known as a “sugar daddy” is someone who provides presents, cash, or other financial inducements to a younger person (their “sugar baby”) in exchange for companionship or other advantages in a relationship. Both the sugar baby and the sugar daddie believe that this is a choice relationship that is beneficial to them.
This Article Contains:
- A sugar daddy: what is he?
- A sugar daddy scam: what is it?
- Instagram sugar daddy scammer
- How do con games involving sugar daddies operate?
- How can you prevent falling for a scam?
- Use Avast to protect yourself.
What is a sugar daddy scam?
When a con artist pretends to be a wealthy donor searching for a sugar baby to treat, it’s known as a sugar daddy scam. As the scam progresses, the sugar daddy tries to con a victim who is in need of money or who wants to live a luxurious lifestyle. Social networking is where sugar daddy scams frequently start.
Typically, sugar daddy scams begin with sending the victim a direct message on Facebook, Instagram, or another social media site. As I’ll demonstrate below, it all began on Instagram. Fake sugar daddies often take the conversation to a more private platform, such as iMessage, WhatsApp, or another texting service, after the first exchange.
A phony sugar daddy may approach their potential sugar baby right immediately and make advances or financial offers. In the end, the victim who falls for the con ends up paying the con artist money. Although not all sugar daddy scams are convincing, as you’ll see in my example below, they do operate in a variety of ways.
Sugar daddy scammer on Instagram
I’m a twentysomething woman who uses Instagram frequently. I just noticed a new direct message request while browsing through my Instagram account. In the channel’s picture, I noticed an elderly man.
Hello, lovely. My name is Walker. Here was the direct message. You sound like a great fit to be my sugar baby. And even though it seemed like a clear-cut fraud effort, I started to become interested. So I answered.
I was promised €1,500 a week by him. He only said he was seeking for someone to chat to since his wife had died away when I inquired what he would like me to do in return. In response, I questioned how I could be certain he wasn’t attempting to con me.
He showed me various photos of girls carrying signs with the words “Walker is a real sugar daddy” or “Walker paid me 1,500 Euro” inscribed on them. But he swiftly deleted these messages after sending them, so I’m not quite sure how this aspect of the tale works.
At last, I said to him, “All right, let’s go!” I sent him my shareable PayPal payment connection as soon as he asked for it since I was curious to see what would happen next.
In other words, what transpired at that time was predictable. Walker asked that I send him a small amount first to get it validated, and he emailed me a picture of the outstanding payment. He required me to pay a verification charge, which I had to do through Google Play. Unfortunately for Walker, I was persuaded of the hoax by the picture alone. I stopped talking to him.
How do sugar daddy scams work?
Sugar daddy scams often entail these two steps: Initially, the prospective victim is contacted by the phony sugar daddy via social media sites like Instagram or Snapchat. Second, in an attempt to prove their loyalty or complete the deal, the con artist guarantees to pay money as soon as the victim sends anything in return.
Fake sugar daddies entice their prospective sugar babies with direct communications that seem (and are) too good to be true, as I’ve already explained. They make an effort to earn your trust before making a cash request. Then, typically, they will offer you evidence, such as fictitious transaction records or pictures of contented sugar babies.
As soon as the money is given to these scammers, they will vanish and they will never ask for payment proof. Depending on the fraud, they can demand money to verify your account, pay transaction fees, or demonstrate your commitment.
Because prepaid cards are difficult to track down or refund, sugar daddy gift card scammers frequently request payment verification using these cards for apps like Google Play or Amazon. Fraudsters may also use a credit card that has been stolen to make fraudulent deposits into the victim’s account. The credit card company has already charged the victim’s money back by the time they send what they desire to the bogus sugar daddy. Alternately, the con artist opens a credit card in the victim’s name and accumulates a significant debt.
Sugar daddy scams are on the rise; young ladies all over the world fall victim to these and other similar schemes used by hackers. It’s possible that some of these women are struggling financially and could use the money badly. Alternatively, it’s possible that they are simply seeking a specific level of life that they would otherwise be unable to afford. The so-called “sugar daddies” take advantage of these circumstances in order to profit, but they ultimately do a great deal of harm.
Sugar daddy Instagram scams
Instagram is rife with impostor sugar daddies. An example of a fraud that occurs frequently is similar to mine. The fraudster will usually send you a direct message before switching to another messaging app, such as WhatsApp. Eventually, they’ll tell you that they need something from you before they release the funds.
PayPal and Cash App are two well-known payment platforms that Instagram scammers employ. Below, I’ll describe how these apps are used to con sugar babies.
Cash App Scams
Scams involving Cash Apps first appear on social media sites like Instagram or Snapchat. After luring their victim in, a false sugar daddy can use Cash App to pilfer money or information.
Typical sugar daddy Cash App scams include the following:
· Money in then out
After the fraudster requests a gift card or other payment, you transfer them the money that was fraudulently received in your account. Cash App returns money to your account after they determine it was stolen.
· Fake verification
After requesting a payment to validate your account or your identity, the con artist will ban you and take the money.
· Clearance fee
The phony sugar daddy demands payment before releasing the substantially bigger amount they had promised. However, Cash program is a mobile payment program that functions similarly to Venmo, so transactions between individuals happen instantly and never require verification.
· Phishing
If a phony sugar daddy makes an attempt at phishing, they may ask for your address, phone number, email, and $Cashtag in order to complete the transaction. For any genuine transaction, just provide your $Cashtag; this could help keep identity theft at bay.
· FAKE payment
You get a bogus payment notification that purports to be from Cash App, but the link to verify the message is actually malicious.
You can prevent sugar daddy scams by being aware of the several kinds that exist. Additionally, you can defend yourself by using a complete security program like Avast One. Avast can assist in defending you against phishing schemes, malware, viruses, and other threats. Additionally, it has many built-in privacy measures, such as a VPN, to help safeguard your private information. Use Avast One to help defend yourself from con artists and people pretending to be sugar daddy.
PayPal scams
The most popular PayPal scam employed by imposters is the emailing of a screenshot of a “pending” transaction to the victim, giving the impression that the money is about to be deposited into their account. Naturally, the con artist claims that they just require anything in exchange at first. These scammers sometimes ask for gift cards, as I indicated in the example regarding my encounter with a sugar daddy on Instagram. However, fraudulent sugar daddies may also want payment in cryptocurrencies.
Additionally, keep an eye out for requests for funds via PayPal. In the hopes that you will click Accept, the sugar daddy scammer sends a request for a small sum (as a guarantee). Avoid it.
Snapchat scams
Similar to Instagram, sugar daddies will attempt to con a sugar baby on Snapchat. In an attempt to make this into a lucrative scam, they can utilize Snapchat to locate their victims and strike up a discussion. When it comes time to make arrangements for payment, they’ll probably still ask for bank account information or other personal information, open a credit card in the sugar baby’s name and max it out, or utilize the Cash App or PayPal techniques mentioned above.
How can you avoid being scammed?
Preventing communication with con artists is the best defense against phony sugar daddies and the social media frauds they employ. It’s safe to conclude that, generally speaking, anything that seems too good to be true usually is. Here are some more precautions you can take to stay away from frauds.
- Never respond to communications from strangers. If you’re unsure, check their profile to see if something seems off about anything.
- Any mails offering free money should be ignored. Usually, if something appears too good to be true, it is.
- Never divulge personal information to uninvited parties. Don’t do it online just as you wouldn’t do it in person.
- Make an investigation. To learn more about the kinds of scams you believe you’ve encountered, peruse forums and pertinent internet organizations, such as these useful resources.
How to know if a sugar daddy is legit?
Here are some warning indications to look out for if you want to know how to recognize a false sugar daddy:
- All they want to do is DM you. A lot of romance fraudsters, including sugar daddies, steer clear of video chats and in-person meetings for fear that you would discover their true identity.
- They have phony social media accounts. It’s likely not real to follow accounts with few followers, stock photos, or none at all. These kinds of profiles are typical of phony sugar daddies.
- They want money sent to them. A true sugar daddy won’t ask their sugar baby for money in any way because they are wealthy and don’t need your money.
In the event that everything appears legitimate and you receive money from them, give it some time before spending it to ensure it’s authentic. However, the best defense against being conned is to disregard any messages that appear too wonderful to be true.
Should you encounter sugar daddy frauds, report them straight to the platform on which they occur, be it TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, or another channel. This is a start in the direction of making the internet a safer climate for everyone.
Protect yourself with Avast
Scams may occur anywhere, including on the social media site of your choice. Remember the aforementioned golden principles to stay away from sugar daddy scams: don’t respond to messages from strangers, don’t click on links offering free money, and don’t give out personal information to strangers.
Get complete security by downloading Avast One if you want to be as safe as possible when using the internet. It will encrypt your conversations and protect your internet privacy. There are other threats besides sugar daddy scams; con artists and hackers are always coming up with new ploys. Avast One will assist in protecting both your device and your private data.
