Looking for a man in finance with a trust fund, 6’5”, blue eyes? Well, you’re not alone. But hold your horses. Before you fall head over heels when you finally meet that perfect man, you’d better check him out to make sure he is all that he claims to be.
Romance fraud is among the top six scams in the U.S., according to FBI data (based on total losses), and it’s one of the costliest per victim.
In today’s glorified “hustle and bustle” culture, a finance job can be the perfect cover to swindle people by sweeping them off their feet. Think about it for a minute: We all know about the long hours finance professionals put in day in and day out. That’s a great excuse for anyone who wants to hide behind a screen and dodge face-to-face communication.
Finance jobs also involve technical jargon, which is often beyond comprehension for regular people (again, excellent for preventing too many questions about what a person does for a living). Then, there’s the presumed expertise that could create a sense of respect and trust (critical factors for tying you into an investment fraud).
The bottom line is, it pays to be cautious if a job in finance is at the top of your dating criteria (it wouldn’t hurt to remain vigilant, even otherwise).
In this article, we discuss proven techniques to find out if your new love interest is in finance for real.
How to Check Whether Someone Works in Finance
Look Them Up on Nuwber
If you want a quick and easy method to confirm where someone you like is working, a name search on Nuwber’s people directory can be an effective solution.
This platform collects people data from public sources and regularly screens its records to ensure accuracy and relevance. Plus, apart from a person’s profession, workplace, education, business, and license information, it can get you insights into things you may need to be concerned about, like marital status, liens, bankruptcies, and arrest records.
Review Their Social Media Profiles
Most people talk about their work and professional expertise on social platforms to build useful connections and explore opportunities. So, when you want to learn more about your new love interest’s work background, their networking profiles could provide a few hints.
If they are in finance, they would likely mention it in their bio, posts, and/or comments. They might also follow, like, and reshare finance-related content. Don’t forget to find them on LinkedIn, which displays users’ work histories in a resume format.
Check With Their Employer
Often, organizations won’t give out their employees’ information when you contact them directly. However, there are other techniques to access details without calling them up. For instance, you can check their websites and brochures to see whether they mention the names and contact info of key employees.
Another option is visiting the company’s LinkedIn page and clicking the “view employees” tab at the top right. If you know someone who works there, you can reach out to them, too, to discreetly get hold of information.
Search Their Digital Footprint on Google
Perhaps the person you are looking into was featured in finance articles or interviews. Or their details might appear in industry directories. Maybe they have written about finance topics on blogs and other publications. One of the easiest tools to find these is Google’s search engine.
When searching for information on this platform, use the relevant individual’s first and last name as the primary keyword. Then, add “finance” or their workplace name to refine the search results. If you have any of their photos, try an image search on Google and see what it could retrieve.
Tips for Dating Safety
The truth is, finding love can be pretty tough in a digitized world where faking things has become super easy. That perfect guy (or gal) who ticked all your boxes could very well be a scammer hiding behind a fictitious or stolen identity and living thousands of miles away.
Even when you are face-to-face with someone, you can never know what they are concealing.
So, to ensure your dating safety
● Watch Out for Glaring Red Flags
For instance, you might notice inconsistencies in what your new love interest says about their work, employer, coworkers, and work schedules. Or they might profess love, but avoid meeting in person. Unusual behaviors like these can be warning signs that something is off.
● Run a Background Check
We have already shared several techniques to cross-check a person’s professional details. You can use the same methods to learn more about them. (If you think this seems a tad intrusive, don’t worry. It’s the only way to safeguard yourself when dating a stranger.)
● Avoid Oversharing
Revealing too much about yourself before you even begin dating is not a smart move when you hardly know the other person (and their true motives). So, be particularly careful not to divulge personal details (like your home address, bank account information, and passwords) and compromising photos and videos.
● Never Hand Over Money
Has your date suggested an investment opportunity that could generate lucrative returns? Just because they say they are in finance, it doesn’t mean you should hand over your money to them without doing your due diligence. With sufficient research, you can protect yourself from financial scams and make prudent decisions.
● Take Things Slow
Relationships can’t be rushed, even with a well-off, 6’5”, blue-eyed stranger. Getting to know a person takes time, and by moving at a slower pace, you will have a greater chance of nurturing a healthy relationship without jeopardizing your safety.
Summing Up
A good-looking stranger in finance may seem a good catch to anyone. But how do you know for sure what they do for a living? After all, a finance job can be the perfect disguise for a con man to sweep you off your feet and get you entangled in countless scams.
Before you jump headfirst into a relationship, it’s best to dig a little deeper to confirm who you are dealing with. Nuwber, social media, and Google can help you with a background check. Reaching out to a contact at the relevant employer or checking their company website may also get you useful information.