Are you seeking a sugar daddy? If so, you’re not the only one. Millions of people are looking for companionship online and financial security every day. Unfortunately, not everybody is honest. Some people use dating websites and apps to scam unsuspecting victims out of money.
While it is impossible to prevent scammers from targeting you, there are a few things you can do to make yourself less likely to be scammed. Here are some tips to help you avoid being taken advantage of by a fake sugar daddy.
What are sugar daddies?
A sugar daddy is a wealthy older man who spends money on a younger woman in exchange for companionship or sex. Sugar daddy scams are common and often involve the scammer asking the victim for financial assistance.
The arrangement is typically mutually beneficial: the sugar daddy gets companionship or sex, while the sugar baby enjoys a lifestyle of luxury and ease that would otherwise be out of reach.
In some cases, the sugar baby is in that agreement to pay for education fees and be guaranteed a better future.
The sugar daddy-sugar baby relationship is not always about sex. Some sugar daddies simply enjoy spoiling their sugar babies and enjoy the companionship of a younger woman. However, sex is often a part of the arrangement.
Want to learn more about sugar daddies? Read our What is a sugar daddy and how to get one article.
What does having a sugar daddy mean?
Having a sugar daddy can mean a lot of different things to different people. To some, it might mean having a wealthy benefactor who provides financial support, among other perks. To others, it might be a situation where both parties are consenting adults who enjoy an arrangement that involves sex and monetary compensation.
There is no one right answer – it really depends on what both parties are looking for and comfortable with.
In many cases, sugar daddies are married and may have reasons to cheat, but that should not interfere with your role.
If you’re thinking about pursuing a sugar daddy arrangement, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Be clear about what you want and expect from the relationship.
What are your boundaries? What are you comfortable with doing (or not doing)? Be honest with yourself and know your limits.
What is a sugar daddy scam?
A sugar daddy scam is when someone poses as a wealthy benefactor in order to take advantage of someone. Just like a genuine sugar daddy, they may promise money, gifts, or other benefits in exchange for sexual favours or other services.
These scams can be very damaging for the victim, getting them in potentially worse financial troubles than they are already in.
For instance, Business Insider reported a 2020 story of a sugar baby, Elizabeth Mirah, scammed by a fake sugar daddy that got US$1,000 from her. The fake sugar daddy sent her 2 cheques worth US$3,000 and then asked Mirah to send US$1,000 to her supposed brother. To her surprise, the cheques bounced back, leaving her with the US$1,000 out of pocket.
Of course, there are endless other instances where young women and young men have been scammed for hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds. In order to spot red flags, we’ll go through good tips to avoid sugar daddy scams in the steps below.
Typical Sugar Daddy Scams
As you understood by now, it’s no secret that sugar daddy scams exist. Before discussing how to avoid them, let’s go through the most common sugar daddy scams you should know.
No matter the platform or social media you use, these scams can be everywhere and it’s definitely not pleasant to be a victim and have to involve the police in some instances.
The naked photos scam
The nude photos scam is arguably the most frequent dating fraud on the internet. The fake sugar daddy usually portrays himself as wealthy and kind, claiming to be very interested in you and asking for you to send him some nude photographs of yourself.
He will promise you a high amount of money to make you believe him, but don’t fall for it. Once he’s got your photos, he will be free to do what he wants, including blackmailing you or posting them online.
The beggar scam
The best example of the sugar daddy beggar scam is the Netflix production The Tinder Swindler. It’s a tried-and-true scam in the sugar dating world. The fake sugar daddy pretends to be a rich sugar daddy who is kind and generous toward you.
Once they get your trust, they begin to ask for your help with different excuses such as “need money for working capital” or “unfamiliar with online transfers.”
Needless to say, this is one of the most well-known scams that you should be on the lookout for.
The sugar daddy fishing scam
Unlike the beggar scam, the scammer won’t be asking you for money but, instead, for your personal information like passwords, credit card numbers, and any other sort of information.
Then these details are generally utilised to blackmail you and, in some cases, your family.
So, in your search for a sugar daddy, be conscious not to publish sensitive data online; don’t respond to weird emails, and nip this in the bud by restricting who has access to your dating profile.
Tips to avoiding sugar daddy scams
Getting scammed online is easy, especially when fake sugar daddies send photos proving their fortune and, therefore, making sugar babies trust them. So, you’ll want to spot red flags – here are some tips to avoid being scammed by a sugar daddy.
Ignore messages from strangers on social media
We’ve all received message requests from strangers on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. But those who contact you out of the blue and offer to help you financially may be a scam that you should not fall for.
No genuine sugar daddy will contact you and immediately offer a bunch of money for posting beautiful photos on your feed, and before they have even met you in person.
Trust your gut instinct; if something feels too good to be true, it probably is, and you shouldn’t accept gifts or money transfers before knowing the person.
Don’t reveal your personal details
Another scam that is particularly common is when a sugar daddy asks for your personal information, such as your address or bank account details.
Never reveal these details to someone you don’t know and trust as you may end up in uncomfortable situations such as being blackmailed.
Use only reputable websites
Another way to avoid getting scammed is to use a reputable sugar daddy website. These websites will often have measures in place to protect their users from scammers. For example, they may verify the identity of each user before they are allowed to interact with other members.
Some of the most reputable websites to find a genuine sugar daddy are SeekingArrangement, SugarDaddyMeet, Sugardaddy.com, and MissTravel.
To sum up, avoid websites where no verification whatsoever is needed and always use common sense when chatting with potential candidates.
Do your part in research
Sugar daddy scams are becoming more and more common these days and finding the scammer’s real identity is slightly easier. You can Google reverse their photos and check if they use the same image on multiple websites or under different names or countries.
The same goes for contact details and social media. Being a private investigator for a couple of hours has never hurt anyone, and you could save yourself from a scam.
He isn’t interested in your personality
A last red flag to spot before chatting more with the potential sugar daddy is the way he talks to you and if he’s interested in your personality. A genuine person who will spend time with you will definitely be interested in who you are.
Fake sugar daddies want to scam as many girls as possible and will most likely not waste their time in getting to know you better.
What platforms do sugar daddies target?
There are several websites to get a sugar daddy, such as SeekingArrangement, as mentioned above. That being said, fake sugar daddies will want to use straightforward platforms and apps to gain time and avoid verification processes.
Some of the most popular dating sites and apps that fake sugar daddies use include Tinder, Bumble, OKCupid, and social media like Instagram and Facebook.
These platforms allow scammers to sign up only by receiving an SMS verification code, which is much easier than the sign-up process on SeekingArrangement, for instance.
Spotting a fake sugar daddy scam
As a victim of a fake sugar daddy scam, you can lose a lot of money and be left feeling humiliated and used.
While we’ve seen how to avoid sugar daddy scams above, the easiest way to spot them is when they ask for money.
Apart from that, a sugar daddy sending you a PayPal screenshot showing what you could have without even getting to know each other first is a red flag.
