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NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Many people like Bobbie Bailey, from New Orleans, are seeking love through online dating and social media platforms.

Bailey works from home every day like many others which can make it hard to meet people and make a connection.

Bobbie said the dating scene in New Orleans is rough especially for people in her age range.

She has tried Plenty of Fish, Bumble, and Facebook dating since around 2016.

She said since then, she hasn’t used the apps as frequently.

When she does use them, Bailey said many of the people she has talked to online are not who they say they are.

She says she knows how to wade through the catfishes.

“95 percent of the people that contact me are not from here,” said Bailey.

She said pictures give a lot of information.

“Everybody that lives here or is from here is very proud of it and they are very very proud of the city and show it in the pictures.”

She said it is a red flag if they aren’t showing their pride in the city.

Bailey said online dating has been entertainment for her and her friends.

Bobbie remembers a so-called “military surgeon doctor” who she talked to online and she said she knew he wasn’t from the area right away.

“On the app, it said he was three miles away from me, but he asked me how the weather was.”

Although Bobbie has met many people online, she said she has never met up with anyone in person who proved themselves to be catfish.

Although Bailey has never encountered that type of scenario, she said one of her friends experienced something like that.

“When he came to meet her he introduced himself as another guy, she was highly upset.”

She thinks the man forgot to use the fake name that he had been using on the app.

Bailey said her friend was very disappointed but just glad she met the guy in a group setting.

Another thing to look out for in online dating is scammers.

Attorney General Jeff Landry is warning users of online dating to be careful.

“According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers lost more than $547 Million to romance scams in 2021 – up nearly 80% from 2020,” said Attorney General Landry. “It is imperative for consumers to learn how to identify scammers in order to protect their hearts and their treasures.”

Attorney General Jeff Landry offers the following tips to protect consumers from falling victim to fraud when engaging in online relationships:

  • Protect Personal Information. Do not share sensitive information (i.e., home address and Social Security Number).
  • Never Send Money. Look out for red flags like similar stories used in other scams or requests for gift card payments.
  • Keep Guard Up. Be extremely wary of dates claiming phone conversation is not possible (wanting to leave the date site immediately to use personal email or instant messaging) or alleging to be American traveling or working overseas.
  • Don’t Swipe on Iffy Pictures. Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture to see if it is associated with a different name or unfamiliar details.

Attorney General Landry also encouraged dating site users to report suspicious activity or scams to the FTC’s Consumer Response Center by calling 1-877-FTC HELP (1-877-382-4357) or submitting it online at ftc.gov/complaint.

To learn more about scams and fraud, visit AGJeffLandry.com or call Attorney General Landry’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-351-4889.