Meeting people from other countries without getting scammed
Meeting someone from another country can be wonderful, and it is also prime ground for scammers. These are the habits that protect you.
The warning signs
A problem profile almost always has one or more of these traits:
- They want to leave the app very quickly for another messenger.
- Declarations of love arrive within days.
- The photos look too perfect, or they refuse a video call.
- An emergency (illness, customs fees, a plane ticket) leads to a request for money, gift cards or cryptocurrency.
- Their story changes from one message to the next.
The one rule that avoids most problems
Never send money, gift cards or banking codes to someone you have not met in person. No exceptions, whatever the reason and whatever language the story is told in. A genuine person who cares about you will understand why you won’t.
Verify before you get attached
Ask for a video call within the first few days: a real person will agree. Run a reverse image search on their photos. Compare what they tell you from one day to the next. Translation can hide inconsistencies, so read the original when something feels off.
Pay attention to pressure. Genuine connections can wait a week; scammers rarely can.
The first date
- Choose a busy public place.
- Tell a friend or relative where, when and with whom.
- Keep control of your own transport home.
- Plan for the language gap: an app can translate your messages before and after, and a few key phrases written on your phone help in the moment.
What oKiKo does to protect you
In oKiKo’s Rencontres, a profile is visible only if its owner activated it, phone numbers are exchanged only if both people want to, and the chat stays inside the app. A selfie verification, checked by a human, earns a badge; a button lets you warn a friend about a date; you can report and block at any time.
No tool removes the risk. Your own vigilance remains the best protection.