How to Avoid Sugar Daddy Scams

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Are you a sugar baby seeking to avoid being scammed by a fake sugar daddy? Perhaps you have a friend or relative venturing into the world of sugar babydom and you want to know what they should do to keep themselves and their assets safe from predatory behavior. Either way, you’re in the right place: our practical guide has all the ins and outs of what you need to know to make money and avoid losing it.

Sugar Daddies, Sugar Mommies, and Sugar Babies

Genuine sugar daddies (and mommies) tend to be wealthy and slightly older people willing to spend a generous portion of their disposable income on sugar babies: people – usually younger ones – giving time, attention, compliments, and romance.

Conducted sensibly and with integrity, these arrangements are mutually beneficial, safe, and rewarding. However, as with any situation involving the exchange of money for goods or services, there is a dishonest minority of people who are out to betray, defraud, and scam others.

How Sugar Daddies Work the Scam

Although the means by which they are carried out varies, these scams all have the same ultimate purpose: to steal money from sugar babies.

In short, the fake sugar daddy tricks the sugar baby into believing they will receive a substantial amount of money. The scam typically takes one of two forms: the scammer either: i) asks the sugar baby to make a relatively small payment before receiving several thousand pounds in return, or: ii) pays the sugar baby a large sum of money and then asks for a much lower amount to be transferred to their account. After this there are two disappearing acts – the daddy’s apparently generous prepayment when the bank discovers it was a fraudulent payment, and the daddy himself as he’s keen to avoid the baby chasing him for her money.

Let’s take a closer look at each.

I) The scammer asks the sugar baby for an upfront payment

The scammer, posing as a sugar daddy (or momma), messages sugar babies with offers to buy them luxury items or pay their bills. The scammer then invents a plausible reason for the baby to pay them something, anything from proof of loyalty to administration fees to transfer their promised gift.

No matter how they frame it, the reason is untrue, and the scammer disappears as soon as they receive the baby’s payment.

II) The scammer makes a temporary payment to the sugar baby

This method is more devious than the first because it dupes the sugar baby into believing they’ve been paid before the fake sugar daddy makes his request. The scammer makes the payment using either a stolen or cloned credit card (which leads to the credit card company taking the money back when they realize the card was stolen), or by writing a check they know will bounce (meaning the funds will never clear or materialize in the baby’s account). The fake daddy asks for the baby’s payment during the window between their payment showing in the sugar baby’s account and the credit card company or bank discovering its illegitimacy and taking the money back out of their account.

So, for example, the scammer appears to send the baby $5,000, rapidly asks the baby for a payment of $500, and then blocks and ghosts them after receiving it. Alternative versions of this method involve CashApp, Venmo, PayPal and Bitcoin.

As gift cards leave less of a trail than bank transfers, another ruse scammers use is to request the baby buys them instead of transferring money. When the fake daddy’s payment is uncovered as fraudulent the baby loses the money and the scammer disappears with the gift cards.

What to look out for

Although scammers can be devious and use sophisticated techniques to separate sugar babies from their cash, following these easy steps will help you keep free from their greedy clutches.

Keep an eye out for fake accounts

Although skilled fake sugar daddies are more careful, some are less conscientious and leave telltale signs that they aren’t the real deal. These can include very few photos, a profile bio lacking in detail, boilerplate answers to personality questions, and generic messages.

Do a search on their profile photo

Scammers are prone to stealing other people’s photos or using AI to create an entirely fake face.

Block scamming sugar daddies

Blocking and reporting fakers makes it more difficult for them to operate.

Watch out for fee requests and loyalty tests

Be on alert if a sugar daddy asks you to pay them before they pay you.

Never make a payment to receive a payment

Genuine financial gifts do not require the recipient to make any payment (or payment-in-kind, such as gift cards) to the benefactor.

Don’t be too quick to trust financial gifts

Hesitate before spending such gifts because if they are scam payments it’s you who will be left liable and in debt. Wait until you’re certain the funds have cleared in your account.

Be careful of recovery scams

Some scammers will attempt to fleece you twice by pretending to be financial services, Interpol or the FBI and advising that you must pay a fee before recouping your lost money

Learn the difference between fake and real sugar daddies

Genuine sugar daddies cut to the chase and outline their wishes, want to hear what the sugar baby’s expectations are for the terms of the arrangement, and do not transfer money prior to meeting and agreeing on how everything’s going to work.

Conclusion

Legitimate and upfront sugar relationships can be a sweet and fulfilling arrangement giving both parties what they seek – financial support and glamour on the one hand, and companionship and romance on the other. However, the bitter truth is that where love, lust, and money are involved, scammers are never too far behind.

The good news is that by following our tips, exercising common sense, and keeping your eyes open, you can avoid the pitfalls and find a trustworthy sugar daddy who’s as good as his word and is happy to put his money where his mouth is.

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