A guide for business
Best practice guidelines for dating sites:
protecting consumers from dating scams
January 2016
www.accc.gov.au
Online dating sites offer
services to facilitate
relationships between
their members and this
has become a popular
form of social networking.
However, the online
environment also provides
opportunities for scammers,
including international
criminal networks, to target
Australian consumers.
ISBN
AustralianCompetitionandConsumerCommission
MarcusClarkeStreetCanberraAustralianCapitalTerritory
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CanberraACTorpublishingunit@acccgovau
Importantnotice
TheinformationinthispublicationisforgeneralguidanceonlyItdoesnotconstitutelegalorotherprofessionaladviceandshouldnotbereliedonasa
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ifyouhaveanyspecificconcern
TheACCChasmadeeveryreasonableeorttoprovidecurrentandaccurateinformationbutitdoesnotmakeanyguaranteesregardingtheaccuracy
currencyorcompletenessofthatinformation
Partieswhowishtorepublishorotherwiseusetheinformationinthispublicationmustcheckthisinformationforcurrencyandaccuracypriorto
publicationThisshouldbedonepriortoeachpublicationeditionasACCCguidanceandrelevanttransitionallegislationfrequentlychangeAnyqueries
partieshaveshouldbeaddressedtotheDirectorCorporateCommunicationsACCCGPOBoxCanberraACTorpublishingunit@acccgovau
ACCC
wwwacccgovau
iii
Best practice guidelines for dating sites
Foreword
IampleasedtopresentthisrevisededitionoftheBestPracticeGuidelines
forDatingSitesTheseguidelinesaimtohelponlinedatingsiteoperators
respondtoscamstargetingtheirusers
Onlinedatingscamsareoftentheworkofinternationalcriminalnetworks
andcausesignificantharmtoAustralianconsumersIntheAustralian
CompetitionandConsumerCommission(ACCC)receivedoverreports
ofonlinedatingscamsandconsumersreportednearlymillioninlosses
tothesescamsInovermillioninlosseswerereportedThese
amountsarelikelytobemuchlargerbecausemanyotherswillhavenot
reportedlossesorreportedelsewhereInadditiontolosingmoneymany
victimsofthesescamsalsoreportseriousemotionalharmSimilarscams
aretargetingAustralianconsumersthroughsocialnetworkingsitesandtheACCCisalsolookingatwhatcan
bedonetopreventscammersusingthesechannels
TheguidelineshavebeendevelopedbyaworkinggroupchairedbytheACCCandcomprisingof
representativesfromanumberofdatingsitesManydatingsiteshavealreadyimplementedsubstantial
measurestoprotecttheirusersfromscamsThechallengeistobuilduponthesemeasuresandbring
consumerprotectionacrossthewholeoftheindustrytoahighstandard
Forthosesitesthatalreadyhavemeasuresinplacetoprotectagainstscammerstheobjectivesofthe
revisedguidelinesareto
• strengthenthetargetingrelevanceandtimelinessofwarningmeasures
• ensureeectivecomplainthandlingand
• promotevigilancetopreventscammersoperatingontheirsites
Forthosesitesthatarenewtotheindustryordon’tyethavesuchmeasuresinplacewestronglyencourage
youtousetheguidelinesprovidedtoprotectyourusersfromsuchscams
WhiletheguidelinesarenotmandatorytheACCCconsidersthattheyrepresentindustrybestpracticeand
encouragestheiradoptionandimplementationbyalldatingsitesthatareusedbyAustralianconsumers
Consumerconfidenceandtrustisvitaltotheonlinedatingbusinessmodelandisunderminedwhen
consumersfallvictimtoscammers
Theseguidelineshavebeendesignedtobeflexibleandadaptabletomeettheneedsandresourcesof
dierentdatingsitesandcanbetailoredtosuitthecharacteristicsoftheirusers
TheACCCrecognisesandappreciatesthecontributionofparticipantsintheonlinedatingindustrytothe
developmentoftheguidelinesandtheirwillingnesstoensuretheguidelinesreflecttheneedsandconcerns
ofboththeindustryanditsusers
DeliaRickard
DeputyChair
AustralianCompetitionandConsumerCommission
Contents
Foreword iii
Best practice guidelines for dating sites—protecting consumers from dating scams 1
Context 1
Introduction 1
Scope 2
Objective 2
The guidelines 3
Appropriate scam warnings and information 3
Vetting and checking system 4
Complaint handling procedures 5
Consumer protection 7
Attachment A—Key messages 8
Attachment B—Examples of scammer conduct 9
Attachment C—Example FAQs 12
Attachment D—Advice to scam victims 15
The Working Group 16
Best practice guidelines for dating sites
Best practice guidelines for dating sites—protecting
consumers from dating scams
Context
Introduction
 Onlinedatingsitesoerservicestofacilitaterelationshipsbetweentheirmembersandthishasbecome
apopularformofsocialnetworkingHowevertheonlineenvironmentalsoprovidesopportunitiesfor
scammersincludinginternationalcriminalnetworkstotargetAustralianconsumers
 ReportedlossesbyAustralianconsumerstoonlinedatingscamsareveryhighTypicallythescammer
willcreatefakeprofilesandcontactlegitimateusersforthepurposesoffinancialfraudandidentity
theftTheywillformarelationshipwithalegitimateusersometimesoverasignificantperiodoftime
andthendefraudthemScammersmayalsolaunchconcertedattackstocommitidentitytheft
 VictimsofthesescamsoftensuersignificantfinanciallossesaswellasemotionalharmScam
activitycanalsohaveadetrimentaleectontheonlinedatingbusinessmodelbyundermining
consumerconfidenceintheservice
 Itisintheinterestsofallonlinedatingsiteoperatorstotakeactiontodisrupttheactivitiesof
scammerstargetingtheircustomersbyoeringasafeandsecureoperatingenvironmentand
providingadvicetoconsumersonmeasurestheycantaketoprotectthemselves
 Educatingconsumersaboutusingonlinedatingsitessafelyisimportanttobothonlinedatingsitesand
lawenforcementalikeBothhavethesharedobjectiveofdisruptingandpreventingillegalactivity
 Thedevelopmentofthebestpracticeguidelines(theguidelines)bytheAustralianCompetitionand
ConsumerCommission(ACCC)andtheonlinedatingindustryhasdrawnuponmeasuresthatmany
onlinedatingsiteshavealreadyimplementedThedevelopmentandrevisionoftheguidelineshas
beenundertakentocountertheactivitiesofscammersandprovideguidancetotheindustryonhow
tobetterinformandprotecttheirusers
 Theactionsdetailedintheguidelinesaredividedintofourcategories
 Appropriatescamwarningsandinformation—
• Appropriate scam warnings and information are necessary to educate consumers and raise
awareness of the risk of scams.
• Scam warnings should include simple and direct key messages, as well as examples. Aset of
example key messages for use by online dating sites is attached to these guidelines.
• Consistent messaging across online dating sites may enhance the eectiveness of these
warnings. Online dating sites can make use of the attached warnings and adapt the wording
to suit their individual needs, while retaining the essential message.
 Vettingandcheckingsystem—
• A robust vetting and checking system to identify scammers both as they attempt to register
with a site and following registration is an important tool for online dating sites to disrupt the
activities of scammers.
 Complainthandlingprocedures—
• Eective complaint handling procedures are vital for online dating sites to respond to scams.
They allow for scammers to be quickly identified and action taken to protect users, including
warning others a scammer has communicated with. Such procedures must be easily
accessible to users, responsive to their complaints, and informative.
Best practice guidelines for dating sites
 ConsumerProtection—
• Compliance with the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 ensures consumers are provided
with upfront and transparent information upon which they may make informed decisions and
that they are not subjected to unfair contract terms. This section is provided to assist online
dating sites to understand their obligations under Australian consumer law in the context of
industry specific issues that have previously arisen.
Scope
 Theguidelinesaresuitableforadoptionbyallonlinedatingsitesincludingthoseoperatingasan
application(app)onamobiledeviceTheguidelinesarerelevanttoalldatingsitesusedbyAustralian
consumerswhethertheyarebasedinAustraliaoroverseas
Objective
 TheguidelinesseektoprotectAustralianconsumersbyprovidingasetofactionsforimplementation
byonlinedatingsiteoperatorstoimprovetheirresponsetoscams
 Theguidelinesarevoluntaryandareintendedtorepresentbestpractice
 Allonlinedatingsiteoperatorsshouldconsiderimplementingtheactionscontainedintheguideline
supplementedbyanyadditionalactionstheyidentifyaseective
 Theactionsdetailedintheguidelinesareintendedtobeflexibleandtheirimplementationshouldbe
adaptedtofitthelayoutuserbaseandbusinessmodelofeachindividualonlinedatingsite
 Theattachmentstotheguidelinesprovidematerialwhichmaybeusedbyonlinedatingsiteoperators
forwarningmessagesandtoinformtheirusersaboutscams
 AdoptionoftheguidelinesisnotareplacementforoverallcompliancewiththeCompetitionand
ConsumerActorotherlegislationTheACCCdoesnotendorsesitesorvettheircompliancewith
theguidelinesBusinessesshouldobtaintheirownlegaladviceastotheirobligationsunderconsumer
protectionlegislation
Best practice guidelines for dating sites
The guidelines
Appropriatescamwarningsandinformation
 Inordertoeducateandinformtheirusersonlinedatingsitesshouldprovideinformationandwarning
messagesaboutscamsWarningmessagesshouldincludebothkeymessagesandexamplesin
appropriatelocations
Display of warning messages
 Warningmessagesshouldbeclearlyandprominentlydisplayedatappropriatelocationsontheonline
datingsiteinaformlikelytobenoticedandmakeanimpactonuserssuchasabannersidebarinsert
orlinktofurtherinformation
 Theappropriatelocationforwarningmessagesmayvarydependingonthelayoutofthesitebut
shouldbewherethemessageswillberegularlyviewedbyusersparticularlyat‘pointsofdecision’
whereusersmaybecontactedbyscammers
 Forexamplewarningmessagesmaybedisplayed
• where members communicate including chat, instant messaging, email and other
communication services provided by the site
• at any other relevant locations frequently visited by site users.
 Usingdatatoidentifyatriskgroupsonlinedatingsitescanactivelyprovidetailoredwarning
informationtousersthataremorevulnerableeganalysisofdemographicdatahasconsistently
shown–yearoldsarecommonlytargetedbythesescamsProvidingwarningstoatriskgroups
couldbeachievedbysendinganemailoncompletionofthesign-upprocessorbyredirectingatrisk
userstotailoredmessagingonanadditionalinternetpageaspartoftheregistrationprocess
 Itiswellknownthatscammersencouragetheirtargetstomoveawayfromsecurecommunication
channelstoothermethodsofcommunicationwheretheriskofdetectionislowerOnlinedatingsites
canprovideaninitialwarningofthisandwarnusersagainwhentheyareclosingtheiraccountswith
thesite
Content of warning messages
 Aspartoftheirwarningmessagesonlinedatingsitescandisplaykeymessagestowarntheirusers
abouttheriskofscams
• To be most eective, key messages should be simple and direct.
• Key messages should be appropriate to the area of the site on which they appear.
 AsetofexamplekeymessagesforusebyonlinedatingsitesisatattachmentAUseoftheseexample
messageswillreinforcetheconsistencyofwarningsacrosstheindustryHoweversitescanalsoadapt
theexactwordingandlocationofthesemessagestosuittheirlayoutandtheneedsoftheiruserbase
 OnlinedatingsitesmayalsodevelopadditionalkeymessageswhichtheyconsidereectiveThese
messagesshouldalsobesimpledirectandconsistentwiththoseinattachmentA
 Inadditiontokeymessagesonlinedatingsitesshouldconsiderdisplayingwarningmessages
consistingofexamplesofscammerconductUsersaremorelikelytoberesponsivetowarningsinthe
formofarealsituationorstorytheycanrecognise
• Examples may be displayed in a brief format in the same locations as key messages, or with more
detail elsewhere on the site.
• Steps should be taken to draw the attention of users to these more detailed examples, such as
through a link contained in a warning message.
 AsetofexamplesofscammerconductisatattachmentBHoweversitescanalsoadapttheexact
wordingoftheseexamplestosuittheirlayoutandtheneedsoftheiruserbase
Best practice guidelines for dating sites
 Onlinedatingsitesareencouragedtodevelopadditionalexamplesbasedontheirownexperience
ofscams
 Onlinedatingsitesshouldalsoregularlyreviewtheirexamplestoensuretheyreflectcurrenttrendsin
scammerbehaviourandtowarnusersaboutnewandemergingscams
 ItisnotexpectedthatallkeymessagesandexampleswillbedisplayedtogetheratonetimeInstead
keymessagesandexamplesshouldbeappropriatetothelocationwheretheyaredisplayedandmay
bepartofachangingsetofsuchmessages
Provision of detailed information
 OnlinedatingsitesshouldprovidetheiruserswithaccesstodetailedinformationonscamsThis
informationmaybeprovidedaspartofthesiteoronaseparatededicatedonlinesafetypage
 TheattentionofusersneedstobedrawntothisinformationForexampletheinformationoralinkto
theinformationcouldbeprovided
• as part of information on how to use the sites provided to new members at the end of the
registration process or soon afterwards—for example, in a ‘welcome’ email or internal message sent
to new members
• during regular communications with members—such as a newsletter or update service
• through links within the online dating site where appropriate.
 Onlinedatingsitesmayalsodisplayalinktoscaminformationontheirhomepage
 Thedetailedinformationshouldbesucienttofullyinformusersabouttheriskofscamsandhowto
identifyandprotectthemselvesfromscams
 Thisinformationmayinclude
• warning signs when a user is communicating with a scammer
• common stories used by scammers when they request money
• steps to be taken if a user thinks they have fallen victim to a scam (see paragraph 52)
• any other information relevant to educating users about scams.
 ThedetailedinformationmaybepresentedintheformofaFrequentlyAskedQuestions(FAQ)page
AnexampleFAQisatattachmentC
 OnlinedatingsitesmayprovidealinktotheACCC’sscamwatchwebsite(wwwscamwatchgovau)
whichcontainsinformationaboutavarietyofscamsincludingonlinedatingscamsbutsiteoperators
shouldalsomaintaininformationaboutonlinedatingscamsontheirownsite
 Detailedinformationshouldberegularlyreviewedforaccuracyandupdatedtoreflectcurrenttrendsin
scammerbehaviour
Social media, mobile sites and smartphone applications
 Manydatingserviceshavedevelopedapplications(‘apps’)designedspecificallyforusewitha
smartphoneorotherdeviceSomedatingservicesmayonlyoperatethroughanappTheseguidelines
aresuitableforadoptionbyalldatingsitesincludingthoseoperatingasanapponamobiledevice
 ManydatingsiteswillalsooperatesocialmediaaccountsResponsibledatingsiteswilldisplay
simplifiedscamwarningsandorprominentlinkstoinformationaboutscamsonallcommunication
channelshavingregardtoandinkeepingwiththeobjectivesoftheguidelines
Vettingandcheckingsystem
 Responsibleonlinedatingsitesvalidateuserstoensurelegitimateuseoftheserviceandminimisethe
easewithwhichscammerscancreatefakeprofilesOnlinedatingsitesshouldconsiderimplementing
validationproceduresincludingthecollectionofsucientinformationtoauthenticatetheidentityof
anindividualduringtheregistrationprocess
Best practice guidelines for dating sites
 Whileitmaynotbepossibletoidentifyallscammersonlinedatingsitescanimplementarobust
vettingandcheckingsystemintendedtoidentifyscammersastheyattempttoregisterwiththesite
andfollowingregistration
 Arobustvettingandcheckingsystemwouldconsiderarangeofdierentcharacteristicsofuser
profilesuserbehaviourandotherdatainordertoidentifythoseprofileswhichhavebeencreatedby
scammersandremovethemfromthesite
 Forexamplecharacteristicswhichmaybecheckedbysuchasysteminclude
• the language used in the profile, including identification of common phrases used by scammers,
common usernames and passwords used by scammers and a prevalence of spelling/
grammatical errors
• checking of profile pictures, to identify common pictures used by scammers
• checking of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to identify users registering from outside Australia
(where appropriate) or from areas of the world linked to scam activity
• measures to address the use of proxy servers and other methods to evade IP checking
• abnormal behaviour by users within the site, such as the volume of messages sent or responded to
• any other characteristics which are an eective way to identify profiles likely to be created
by scammers.
 Onlinedatingsitescanadoptavettingandcheckingsystemthatbestfitstheirsitestructureandlevel
oftracSuchasystemcaninvolvemanualorautomatedchecksoracombinationofboth
 Onlinedatingsitesmaychoosetooutsourcethevettingandcheckingofprofilesbyengagingthe
servicesofacommercialonlinesecurityspecialist
 Asthemethodsusedbyscammersmaychangeovertimeonlinedatingsitesshouldregularlyreview
theirvettingandcheckingsystemstoensuretheyremaineective
Privacy
 Onlinedatingsiteshaveobligationstoprotectallcustomers’personalinformationandcomplywith
privacylawsThepurposeofmanyknownscamsistofacilitateidentitytheftwhichinturnenables
furtherscamconductOnlinedatingsitesshouldhaveinplacesecuritysystemstoguardagainstthe
lossofanyconsumer’spersonaldetails
 Intheeventofasecuritybreachonlinedatingsitesshouldhaveinplaceprocessestoalertcustomers
andformercustomers(ifaected)thatsuchanincursionhasoccurredThisshouldincludeadviceto
aectedpartiesaboutthenatureoftheinformationthathasbeencompromisedandstepstheymay
taketoguardagainstfuturemisuseofthatinformationegifcreditcardinformationiscompromised
aectedpartiesshouldbeadvisedtoimmediatelycontacttheirfinancialserviceprovider
 TheOceoftheAustralianInformationCommissionerhasdevelopedguidanceonDatabreach
notification—Aguidetohandlingpersonalinformationsecuritybreacheswhichfocusesonthesteps
anagencyororganisationcantakeafteradatabreachinvolvingpersonalinformationoccursOnline
datingsitesareencouragedtoadopttheseguidelinesandproactivelyputinplaceadatabreach
responseplan
Complainthandlingprocedures
 Inordertoidentifyscamsgatherinformationandassistaectedusersonlinedatingsitesshould
providecomplainthandlingprocedureswhereuserscanreportascamandensureusersareawareof
thissystem
Best practice guidelines for dating sites
Lodging a complaint
 Responsibleonlinedatingsiteshaveestablishedmechanismsforuserstoreportsuspiciousconduct
withintheonlinedatingsite—suchasabuttonentitled‘reportascam’‘reportabuse’orotherwordsto
similareectTomaximisetheeectivenessofthismechanismitshouldbeavailablewithouttheneed
forcurrentmembershiptotheservice
 Operatorsmayalsoprovidea‘livehelp’featuretoresponddirectlytoaectedusersviachatinstant
messagingVoiceoverInternetProtocol(VoIP)orothermethods
Referring complaints
52. Online dating sites should implement the following referral process for Australian users who have
identified or been aected by a scam:
• advise users to report the scammer to the site operator first
• advise users they can report the scam to the ACCC scamwatch site—www.scamwatch.gov.au
• advise users who have sent money and provided financial details to contact their financial
institutions and inform the provider of any service (such as a money transfer service) which they
used to send money to the scammer. While it is rare that money can be recovered, advising banks
and money remitters assists them to take action to prevent further fraud and potentially stop other
victims from sending money to scammers
• advise users who have lost money to a scammer, or where the scammer has threatened or
attempted to blackmail them, to report the matter to the police via the Australian Cybercrime
Online Reporting Network (ACORN) at www.acorn.gov.au
 AtemplateadvicetousersonwhattodoiftheyhavefallenvictimofascamisatattachmentD
 Non-Australianuserswhoreportascamshouldbereferredtotheirlocalconsumerprotectionand
legalauthoritiesasappropriate
 Aslegitimateusersmayloseaccesstothesiteiftheirprofileishackedormistakenlyremoved
onlinedatingsiteoperatorsshouldensurethattheircustomerservicestacanbecontactedviaan
alternativemeansorchannelthatdoesnotrequiretheusertobeloggedin
Responding to complaints
 Wheretheuserseeksaresponseonlinedatingsiteoperatorsshouldendeavourtorespondto
complaintsofscamactivityassoonaspracticableideallybytheendofthenextbusinessdayThis
responseshouldincludeinformationonwhatactiontheusercantakeiftheyhavefallenvictimto
ascam
 Uponreceiptofacomplaintaboutscamactivityresponsibleonlinedatingsiteoperatorswill
investigatetheprofileallegedtobeengaginginscamactivityandtakeappropriateactionassoon
aspossible
 Whereaprofilehasbeenidentifiedasbeingoperatedbyascammerthesiteoperatorshouldnotify
otherpastandcurrentuserscontactedbythatscammer
 Stadealingwithcustomercomplaintsshouldreceivetrainingontheissueofscams
 Onlinedatingsitesshouldkeepthedetailsofcustomercomplaintsconfidentialandadvisetheir
customersthattheywilldoso
61. In order to monitor the eectiveness of their anti-scam measures and update them when
necessary, online dating site operators should collect data on complaints about scams.
• This data would include the number of complaints, the amount of money reported lost and the
type of scam. The more data collected, the more useful it will be for improving security systems to
aid scam prevention.
Best practice guidelines for dating sites
• The data is to be collected from the information provided by the complainant. It does not require
online dating sites to seek further information from complainants, although you are encouraged to
do so if it may help prevent scams.
Consumerprotection
 AllbusinessesincludingonlinedatingsiteshaveobligationsundertheCompetitionandConsumer
ActFundamentaltomanyoftheseobligationsareprovisionsensuringconsumersareprovided
withupfrontandtransparentinformationuponwhichtheymaymakeinformeddecisionsandare
notsubjectedtounfaircontracttermsThissectionisprovidedtoassistindustrytounderstandits
obligationsinthecontextofindustryspecificissuesthathavepreviouslyarisen
 AdoptionoftheguidelinesisnotareplacementforoverallcompliancewiththeCompetitionand
ConsumerActorotherlegislationBusinessesshouldobtaintheirownlegaladviceastotheir
obligationsunderconsumerprotectionlegislation
Fees and charges
 Onlinedatingsitesshouldclearlydiscloseallpricesfordatingservicesincludinganyapplicablefees
andchargespriortotheacceptanceofanycontractorrequestforpayment
 Whereonlinedatingsitesoerservicesonasubscriptionbasisprovidersshouldmakeitclearand
discloseupfrontthatmembershipisasubscriptionthatisautomaticallyrenewedandincursongoing
feesuntilcancelled
 Onlinedatingsitesshouldclearlydisclosetheprocessforcancellationandacceptnoticeoftermination
byemailorotherformofelectroniccommunication(egwebform)D&Rsitesshouldensurethat
cancellationprocessesareaccessibleandnotonerous
Use of personal information
 Onlinedatingsitesshouldnotusecustomerinformationforunauthorisedpurposeswithoutexpress
consentGiventhesensitivenatureoftheinformationprovideditshouldnotbeinferredfroma
customer’sacceptanceofgeneraltermsandconditionsthattheyhaveconsentedtoabroaderuseof
theirpersonalinformationegonlinedatingsitesshouldn’tincludeacustomer’sprofileonothersites
withoutspecificconsentforeachsite—consentshouldbeonanoptinbasis
Best practice guidelines for dating sites
Attachment A—Key messages
• Know who you’re dealing with—never send money to anyone you have only met online.
• Contact from a person overseas makes it more likely that they are a scammer, even if they say they
are just travelling for work.
• If someone asks you to transfer money to them via a wire service, don’t do it—scammers also use
money orders, bank transfers, pre-loaded cards and electronic currencies (e.g. bitcoin).
• Have you met someone recently and they’ve already professed their love? Be careful—it could be
a scam.
• If someone you met online says they need your help or your money, it’s probably a scam.
• If someone asks you for money, don’t reply no matter what their reason is.
• Don’t share your banking or credit card details with anyone you have only met online.
• Some scammers may ask for a loan or to co-invest in a business venture; typically with a too-good-
to-be-true return on investment. Any ‘investment’ in these scams will equate to a loss.
• If you are asked to cash or deposit a cheque for someone you have only met online, don’t do it.
Scammers will ask you to send them money before the cheque clears and the cheques are always
bad. NEVER commit to any bank or monetary transaction for someone you have only met online.
• If someone asks to move your communications outside the site after only a few contacts, be
careful—scammers often ask for this.
• Anyone can fall for a scam—be careful and report any suspicious conduct here.
• Met someone who sounds too good to be true? Be careful—it could be a scam.
• If what you are seeing and hearing from someone does not match their profile, be careful— itcould
be a scam.
• Do an image search of your admirer to help determine if they really are who they say they are. You
can use image search services such as Google or TinEye.
• Google search some of the phrases in emails they have sent you. You may find these have been used
over and over again by scammers.
• Beware of accepting gifts that could be used to conceal drugs. Some scam victims have been
caught carrying drugs through customs in luggage they were given as a present.
• Do not agree to transfer money or send valuable items for someone else: money laundering and
drug tracking are criminal oences.
• Never share intimate photos or videos with prospective partners, especially if you’ve never met
them. Scammers are known to blackmail their targets using compromising material.
Best practice guidelines for dating sites
Attachment B—Examples of scammer conduct
TheACCCconsidersthatthefollowingcouldbeusedbyonlinedatingsiteoperatorsasexamplesof
scammerconductsupplementedbytheirownexperiences
Short examples of scammer conduct
‘Did you know that scammers will often tell you they need money for medical treatment, be it for
themselves, a sick relative or child?’
‘Scammers sometimes take a long time to build a relationship with you—never send money to anyone
you meet online, no matter how long you have been chatting with them.’
‘A common tactic for scammers is to ask for money for flights, visas or other expenses and promise
that they will come and visit you—don’t be fooled.’
‘Some scammers will tell you that they are in the military and need money for a leave pass so they
can visit you. This is a scam because you don’t pay for leave passes.’
‘Sometimes a scammer’s description will not match their profile picture—be cautious and
look carefully.’
‘It is not a coincidence that the scammer’s computer camera or Skype connection never seem
to work.’
‘Scammers may claim to be recently widowed to gain your trust, sympathy and money!’
Sometimes scammers ask for a small amount of money and will pay it back. They may also send small
gifts. These are just tactics to gain your trust.’
‘If anyone asks you for personal details such as banking details or credit card numbers, don’t
send them.’
More detailed examples of scammer conduct
‘You should exercise caution wherever someone you meet online claims that they are stationed
overseas as an oil worker, aid worker, as part of a peacekeeping force or other job. Scammers will
often use this excuse and ask you to send money because of some crisis, like being robbed or
becoming sick.’
‘Needing money for a plane ticket or travel expenses to visit you is a common story used by
scammers. They might ask you for money for a ticket, visa or immigration fees. They may instead
send you a ‘genuine’ copy of their visa or plane ticket but then tell you they need money for an
unexpected expense. Don’t be fooled —scammers often have access to high quality fake documents.’
‘Scammers don’t just ask you for money. They may also ask you to provide personal details, such
as your name and address, bank account or credit card numbers and use this information to steal
your identity.’
‘Scammers might ask you to transfer money for them through your account, telling you it is because
they are unable to transfer the money themselves. You should never give out personal financial
information to anyone you meet online because of the risk of identity theft. Transferring money may
also involve you in money laundering, a serious crime, and expose you to criminal prosecution.’
‘If you are asked to cash money orders for someone you meet online, you should not do it. Scammers
often promise to send their victim money orders and ask the victim to cash the orders and wire the
money back. However, the money orders are fake, so after sending money to the scammer, the victim
finds themselves pursued by the bank for the value.’
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Best practice guidelines for dating sites
‘Been offered a big payout by someone you met online? Scammers will use all kinds of stories to get
you to send money to them. They might tell you that the money will go to a charity, or be invested
in a business like oil exploration or gold mining. Alternatively, they may promise that paying money
will allow you to access a lottery prize, a long lost inheritance or treasure, like a cache of gemstones.
What are the chances that you will find both true love and millions of dollars online? Don’t respond to
these offers.’
‘A popular story for scammers is to claim to be a soldier, stationed overseas and to say they need
you to send money for their expenses—often so they can purchase a leave pass to visit you. Don’t be
fooled—you should never send money to anyone you meet online.’
‘When a scammer asks you to send money, they will usually come up with a whole series of excuses
for why they need more. For example, a scammer who asks you for money for plane tickets may then
tell you they need more money for customs fees and an exit visa and then tell you they have been
arrested at the airport and need even more money to recover their possessions. You should never
send money to anyone you meet online.’
‘Be careful of sharing your personal information, such as your full name, address, birth date, family
details or intimate photographs and videos with people you meet online. These may be used by
scammers for the purposes of identity theft or blackmail.’
‘Scammers may also ask you to send pictures or videos of yourself, possibly of an intimate nature.
They may use these later to try and blackmail you by threatening to send them to your friends, family
or employer.’
Detailed example of scam progression
Jessica, an Australian businesswoman in her 40s, met a man called Martin on an online dating site.
Martin’s profile said that he was an Australian but he was currently working for an oil company in the
United Arab Emirates. He said he was posted to the UAE for a brief period to oversee an oil pipeline
project but was due to return home soon. He was a widower with a 10-year-old daughter. Martin’s
photo showed that he was attractive, well-dressed but not too formal. He looked friendly and about
the same age.
Martin’s interests were not very specific but appeared similar to Jessica’s own, namely sports
and other outdoors activities. Both were after a serious relationship and looking for a warm and
loving partner.
Martin told Jessica that he could not reliably access the dating site in the UAE and so they moved
their communications to email and phone.
Jessica and Martin struck up a close relationship and exchanged regular emails and many phone calls.
Martin came across as sensitive and caring and often listened to her problems. He showed an interest
in her life, including her business affairs. He liked to call just to tell her he missed her and would love to
meet up. After several months Jessica felt that she could tell Martin anything and Martin confessed his
love for her.
Soon afterwards, Jessica received an email from Martin claiming that he had been mugged and lost
his wallet. He said that he was working away from his camp, and at the hotel where he was staying,
the hotel manager was holding his passport and refused to return it until he paid his next month’s
bill. He was soon to be paid but asked Jessica to advance him $1200 by wire transfer to help with his
hotel bill. Jessica thought he would pay her back so she wired the money across.
Some weeks later, Martin called Jessica in quite a state and told her that his daughter had been struck
by a car in a hit and run on her way to school and suffered a brain haemorrhage. He said that he
needed $8000 quickly, to pay for an expensive operation to save her life. Horrified by these events,
Jessica sent the money via wire transfer as it would be quicker.

Best practice guidelines for dating sites
Things were settled for a while and then Martin told Jessica that he had an opportunity to invest in oil
exploration in Ghana. The enterprise was to help out the poor local community and investors would
be well rewarded. He said that she was guaranteed a big return if she sent him $40000 to invest. He
said that this would help them set up a home together when he returned to Australia soon. He also
advised her to transfer the money from her bank to the investment account held at Barclays bank
because this would be safer and he gave her all the relevant details.
Jessica was concerned because this was a large sum of money and asked her friends and relatives
what she should do. Some of her friends expressed concern that she may be dealing with an
online scammer.
Jessica questioned Martin’s motives. He told her he was very hurt and sent her photographs which he
claimed were photos of himself with his daughter and children in the local community. Jessica told her
friends that she knew and trusted him and decided to send the money anyway.
Over time, Jessica was asked to help out in a number of ways as well as pay for fees and taxes on
her ‘investments’ until she had paid over $90000. Some of Jessica’s friends showed her material
about online scams, so Jessica began to keep details about the relationship to herself. However, when
Jessica again mentioned her concerns to Martin, he told her that he “swore by almighty God” that he
loved her and the money she sent was being invested in their relationship.
It was hard, but soon Jessica had to admit to herself that there was something wrong. She thought
about how the conversations often turned to money and the requests for more were becoming very
frequent. One day after he had asked for more money to organise travel to Australia she decided to
stop. Martin’s emails and phone calls became increasingly insistent and angry. She should have hung
up straight away but she still felt something for him.
Then Jessica received an email threatening to send her friends and family copies of intimate photos
Jessica had sent to Martin, unless she paid another $10000. This cemented in Jessica’s mind that the
whole affair was an elaborate scam and Jessica finally sought help from the police.
Jessica felt devastated that a man she felt she could trust implicitly was in fact a scammer. In addition
to these mental and emotional costs, she had also sent the scammer in excess of $90000—most of
her life savings.
She found it hard to discuss this with her family and friends because she felt so foolish. They had
warned her but she trusted the scammer over those truly closest to her. When she did her own
research she found that she was not alone. Many others had had similar experiences.

Best practice guidelines for dating sites
Attachment C—Example FAQs
Whatisadatingscam?
Onadatingsiteascammerissomeonewhobuildsarelationshipwithyoupretendingtobealegitimate
userofadatingsiteandthenusesfraudulentclaimstodefraudyouScammerswillaskyouformoney
personalorfinancialinformationortrytoredirectyoutositesthatrequirepaymentordownloadmalicious
softwareontoyourcomputer
Scamsofthissortcanbeverysophisticatedandscammerswillgotogreatlengthstobuildarelationship
withyouspendingalotoftimecommunicatingwithyouandperhapseventellingyoutheyloveyouand
sendingyougifts
Thekeyruleisthatyoushouldneversendmoneytoanyoneyoumeetonlineandshouldreconsideryour
relationshipwithanyonewhoasksyouformoneyorwhoyouotherwisesuspectmaybeascammer
Scammerswilloftenaskyoutosendmoneyviaawiretransferserviceandyouwillusuallybeunableto
recovermoneysentthiswayYoushouldalsoneversharepersonalinformationsuchasbankaccountor
creditcarddetailsasyouriskfallingvictimtofraudandidentitytheft
HowcanIspotascammer?
Anyofthefollowingbehavioursshouldraiseconcernsthatthepersonyouareinteractingwithisascammer
• they claim to be travelling or stationed overseas, even if it is temporary or for work
• they ask you to send them money or provide your personal or financial details
• they ask you to transfer money via a wire transfer service
• they ask you to send larger amounts via a bank transfer
• they quickly profess strong feelings or love for you
• they are vague about their interests, or what they want in a partner and not particular about how old
their partner might be
• their computer camera or Skype connection never seem to work
• they do not answer your questions or their responses are formulaic, nonsensical or repetitive
• their profile is at odds with their story, or their communications with you display poor spelling
or grammar.
Youshouldcarefullyconsideryourrelationshipwithanyonewhoasksyoutomovecommunicationswith
themawayfromthedatingsiteontoemailinstantmessagingthephoneVoIPorsomeothermediumafter
onlyafewcontactsScammerswilloftenaskyoutodothissothatyouwillbecommunicatingonlywith
themaremorelikelytorevealpersonalinformationandyouwillnotreceivesafetywarnings
Youshouldneverrespondtoarequestformoneypersonalinformationorbankingdetailsnomatterthe
reasongiven
DoanimagesearchofyouradmirertohelpdetermineiftheyreallyarewhotheysaytheyareYoucan
useimagesearchservicessuchasGoogleorTinEyeThesesearcheswilloftenshowinstancesofother
peoplebeingscammedusingthesamephotoorrevealthattheimageyouhavebeengivenisapictureof
someoneelse
GooglesearchsomeofthephrasesinemailstheyhavesentyouOftenyouwillfindtheirdeclarationsoflove
havebeenusedoverandoveragainbyscammers
What should I do if I think I have been scammed?
1: Cease communication
Ifyouthinkyouhavebeenscammedthefirststepistoimmediatelyceasecommunicationwiththe
scammertoavoidlosingmoremoneyorgivingawaymorepersonalinformationIgnoreanyattemptsbythe
scammertocommunicatewithyouandtakestepstoblockfuturecommunicationsegsetuprulesinyour
emailaccountandonyourmobilephone

Best practice guidelines for dating sites
2: Contact site operator
Youshouldreportthescammertothedatingsitewhereyoufirsthadcontactwiththemastheymaybe
targetingotherusersYoushouldprovidethesiteoperatorwithasmuchinformationaboutthescammer
aspossibleThismayincludeexamplesofemailsorinstantmessagingcommunicationsreceivedfromthe
scammerandphotosnamesandaddressesemailaddressesorphonenumbersusedbythescammerIt
mayalsobeusefultoprovidedetailsofaccountnumbersofwhereyouhavesentmoney
3: Contact your financial institution
Ifyouhavesentmoneytothescammerparticularlyifyouhaveprovidedanypersonalorfinancialdetails
youshouldcontactyourfinancialinstitutionandinformthemIfyouhavegiventhescammerinformation
suchasaccountnumberscreditcardnumbersorpasswordsyoushouldimmediatelychangethemIfyou
usedaservicesuchasamoneytransferservicetosendmoneytothescammeryoushouldcontactthe
serviceprovidersothattheycanstopothersfromsendingmoneytothescammer
4: Report the scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
ReportingascamtotheACCCassistswithmonitoringscamtrendsYoucanreportascamtotheACCC
viatheonlinereportingformontheACCC’sscamwatchwebsitewwwscamwatchgovauThedetailsof
complaintsmadetotheACCCwillbekeptconfidential
5: Contact police
IfyouhavesentmoneytothescammerreportthemattertothepoliceviatheAustralianCybercrimeOnline
ReportingNetwork(ACORN)atwwwacorngovauIfsomeoneattemptstoblackmailyouormakesthreats
ofanykindyoushouldcontactthepoliceimmediately
6: Beware of future contact
ScammerswilloftencontactyouundernewguisestotryandgetmoremoneyfromyouTheymaypretend
tobelawyersgovernmentocialsorpoliceoftenfromanothercountryandclaimthattheyhavecaught
thescammerandneedmoneytorecoveryourlossesYoushouldneversendmoney—thescammersare
simplytryingtogetmoreoutofyou
7: Take steps to protect your personal data
ScammerscollectinformationaboutyouduringascamforidentitytheftTakesometimetoreviewwhat
informationthescammermightknowaboutyouandtakestepstochangethisinformationifrequired
Informationsuchaspassportnumbersbankaccountdetailsanddriver’slicencenumbersareparticularly
valuabletoscammersConsiderchangingyourmobilephonenumberemailaddressandanysocial
mediaaccounts
CheckyoursettingsonanyandallsocialmediaaccountsandrestrictaccesstofriendsonlyPublicaccessis
justthatAnyonecanfindoutverypersonalinformationaboutyouincludingwhereyouliveandworkyour
patternsandroutinesanddetailsaboutyourkidshobbiesandinterests
Specificscenarios
Someone has asked me for money for airline tickets or other travel expenses—is this a scam?
ThissoundslikeacommonscamYoushouldneversendmoneytoanyoneyoumeetonlineScammers
oftenpromisetovisityouthenpocketanymoneyyousendthemDon’tsendmoneyforplaneticketsvisas
customsfeesoranyothertravelexpensesthescammerclaimstohaveTheymaysendyoucopiesoftheir
passportticketsorvisato‘prove’theyarecomingtovisityou—don’tbelievethesestoriesScammersoften
haveaccesstoauthentic-lookingfakedocuments
They claim to be in the military and say they need money for a leave pass—what should I do?
ThisisanothercommonscamandyoushouldneversendmoneyScammersclaimingtobemembersofthe
militarywilloftensaytheyneedyourmoneytopayforaleavepassorsomeotherexpensesotheycanvisit
youThisisjustanexcusetogetyoutopaymoneyThemilitarydoesnotchargeforleavepasses
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Best practice guidelines for dating sites
I’ve been asked to pay money to a charity or to support a business opportunity—isthis a scam?
Scammerswilloftentellyouthatmoneyyousendthemwillgotoacharityorwillbeusedtosupporta
businessventureThismightbeanythingfromoilexplorationtogoldmininggemstonesalesandmoreThe
scammermightalsotellyoutheycanaccesssomekindoftreasureorinheritanceandsaythattheyneed
moneytorecoveritresolvelegalissuesorgetavaluableitemthroughcustomsYoushouldnotsendmoney
Charitiesdon’tsolicitdonationsthroughdatingsitesandanystoriesaboutgreatrichesarejustaploytoget
youtomakeascammerrich
I’ve been told I need to send money because of an emergency—is this a scam?
AmedicallegalorotheremergencyisacommonexcuseusedbyscammerstogetatyourmoneyTocreate
asenseofemergencyscammerswilloftentellyouthat
• they or a relative, often a child, is sick or injured (often in a car accident or hit and run) and needs money
for medical treatment
• they have been robbed or lost their wallet and need money to pay living expenses, a hotel bill or
the police
• they have been arrested or detained by immigration authorities and need money for bribes, visa or
customs fees
• they have been kidnapped and need your help to pay the ransom.
Thesestoriesaredesignedtomakeyoufeelasifthesituationisdesperateandtogetyoutosendmoney
withoutthinkingHoweveryoushouldneversendmoneytoanyoneyoumeetonline
My online dating partner says they can’t continue chatting with me unless I send money—what
should I do?
YoushouldnotsendmoneyScammerswilloftenclaimtheyneedyoutosendthemmoneyortheywon’tbe
abletocommunicatewithyouinthefutureTheymaysaythattheyneedmoneytoaccesstheinternetto
purchaseawebcamorcomputertopayforatranslationserviceorotherlivingexpenses
I’ve been asked to transfer money for my online dating partner—should I do it?
Youshouldneveragreetotransfermoneyforsomeoneelse—thismaybemoneylaunderingwhichisa
criminaloenceThismayalsobeanattempttogetyoutoprovidepersonalinformationforidentitytheft
My online dating partner has sent me a mobile phone/computer/tablet and asked me to send
them to a friend overseas—what should I do?
Youshouldneveragreetosenditemsthathavebeensenttoyoutosomeoneoverseas—thismaybeaform
ofmoneylaunderingthroughhighvalueproductsratherthanmoneyItisstillacriminaloence
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Best practice guidelines for dating sites
Attachment D—Advice to scam victims
TheACCCconsidersthatthefollowingadviceshouldbegiventoonlinedatingsiteusersconcernedthat
theyhavefallenvictimtoascam
1: Cease communication
Ifyouthinkyouhavebeenscammedthefirststepistoimmediatelyceasecommunicationwiththe
scammertoavoidlosingmoremoneyorgivingawaymorepersonalinformationIgnoreanyattemptsbythe
scammertocommunicatewithyouandtakestepstoblockfuturecommunicationsegsetuprulesinyour
emailandsocialmediaaccountsandonyourmobilephoneBetterstillchangeyourmobilephonenumber
emailaddressandsocialmediaaccounts
2: Contact site operator
Youshouldreportthescammertothedatingsitewhereyoufirsthadcontactwiththemastheymaybe
targetingotherusersDetailsofyourreportwillbekeptconfidentialYoushouldprovidethesiteoperator
withasmuchinformationaboutthescammeraspossibleThismayincludeexamplesofemailsorinstant
messagingcommunicationsreceivedfromthescammerandphotosnamesandaddressesemailaddresses
orphonenumbersusedbythescammer
3: Contact your financial institution
Ifyouhavesentmoneytothescammerandparticularlyifyouhaveprovidedanypersonalorfinancial
detailsyoushouldcontactyourfinancialinstitutionandinformthemIfyouhavegiventhescammer
informationsuchasaccountnumberscreditcardnumbersorpasswordsyoushouldimmediatelychange
themIfyouusedaservicesuchasamoneytransferserviceorbanktosendmoneytothescammeryou
shouldcontacttheserviceprovidersothattheycanstopothersfromsendingmoneytothescammer
4: Report the scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
ReportingascamtotheACCCassistswithmonitoringscamtrendsYoucanreportascamtotheACCC
viatheonlinereportingformontheACCC’sscamwatchwebsitewwwscamwatchgovauThedetailsof
complaintsmadetotheACCCwillbekeptconfidential
5: Contact police
IfyouhavesentmoneytothescammeryoushouldreportthemattertothepoliceviatheAustralian
CybercrimeOnlineReportingNetwork(ACORN)atwwwacorngovauIfsomeoneattemptstoblackmail
youormakesthreatsofanykindyoushouldcontactthepoliceimmediately
6: Beware of future contact
ScammerswilloftencontactyouundernewguisestotryandgetmoremoneyfromyouTheymaypretend
tobelawyersgovernmentocialsorpoliceoftenfromanothercountryandclaimthattheyhavecaught
thescammerandneedmoneytorecoveryourlossesYoushouldneversendmoney—thescammersare
simplytryingtogetmoreoutofyou
7: Take steps to protect your personal data
Scammerscollectinformationaboutyouduringascamandmayusethisinformationforotherfraudulent
activityTakesometimetoreviewwhatinformationthescammermighthaveaboutyouandtakestepsto
changethisinformationInformationsuchaspassportnumbersbankaccountdetailsanddriver’slicence
numbersareparticularlyvaluabletoscammersConsiderchangingyourphonenumberandemailaddress
AlsoreviewyoursocialmediaprofileandconsiderchangingoramendingyourFacebookTwitterSkype
LinkedinPinterestorotheraccountsEnsureyourprivacysettingsaresetatthehighestlevelandyour
accountsareaccessibletoonlythosepeopleyouknowandtrust
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Best practice guidelines for dating sites
The Working Group
Thefollowingdatingsiteoperatorsformedtheworkinggroupwhichparticipatedinthereviewof
theguidelines
• AdultMatchMaker—GigaPtyLtd
• CupidMediaPtyLtd
• eHarmony
• OasisActive
• RedHotPiecomau
• RSVP
TheACCCisgratefultothosethatparticipatedintheoriginaldevelopmentoftheguidelinesandthosethat
contributedtothereview