How to Spot & Avoid a Sugar Momma Scam

• Reverse search a sugar momma’s profile pictures to see if she’s who she says she is. It's a red flag if the photos show up with a different name or profile.
• Scroll through her social media accounts to see if she posts candid photos of herself and has friends, which is a good sign she is being honest.
• Avoid giving your financial and personal information to a potential sugar momma at all costs—she could be trying to steal your identity!

Spotting a Fake

Reverse search her profile pictures. Fake sugar mommas are excellent catfishers. They’ll steal other people’s photos to pretend to be someone else. Check to if her photos are hers by reverse image searching her profile pictures. If nothing comes up, she’s real! If the search reveals another social media page or website with a different name, she may be fake. Notice if all of her profile pictures are professionally taken. This could be a sign she pulled them from a stock image website. Study the pictures for warping or missing shadows, as a sugar momma could easily edit her pictures using FaceTune and Photoshop.

Look up her contact information online. A sugar momma’s profile usually lists her name, age, and contact information. Check to make sure she’s the real deal before becoming a sugar baby by looking her up online. Put her name, email, and/or phone number into Google and see what pops up. If your research only shows things of her likeness, she’s probably legit. If most of the search results are of someone else, she may be faking her identity.

Check her social media accounts. Not everyone has a social media presence, but it’s extremely rare to not have any online presence at all. Look up her name online and scroll through her Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook profiles. A real profile will most likely have candid photos or selfies and comments from friends. See if she’s been tagged in any photos, as this is a good indicator that she’s a real person with real friends. Click on the profiles interacting with her. Do they seem legit?

Double-check her messages for grammar mistakes and misspellings. If every other word is misspelled or her sentences are hard to understand, she’s most likely a scammer. Many internet scams originate in foreign countries, and use translators to communicate with victims worldwide. Notice if the language is too robotic or her responses don’t make sense. Broken English isn’t always a sign of a scam, but if she doesn’t say she’s from another country, it’s a telling sign she’s lying about something.

Look for inconsistencies in her story. If she’s truly who she says she is, her occupation, relationship status, and living situation won’t change. As you get to know a potential sugar momma, ask yourself, “Does this all make sense?” Scammers will most likely forget what they’ve told their victims, especially if they’re scamming multiple people at once.

Notice if things are moving too fast. Professional sugar mommas will be attentive and appropriate when setting your arrangement. On the other hand, fake sugar mommas may seem too eager to start a romantic companionship. She may be intimate, start sexting, or say “I love you” right away.

Be skeptical if she immediately sends you money. A real sugar momma won’t pay you until you’ve met in person or satisfied her needs. If someone offers to give you money before you’ve come to an arrangement or formally met, it’s probably a scam and they’re trying to get your banking information. Never give away your personal information for a potential sugar momma to send you money, especially if you haven’t solidified an agreement.

Leave the conversation if she starts asking for money. A sugar momma pays you, not the other way around. It’s a major red flag if the person you’re communicating with says they need money ASAP, especially if you don’t know them well yet. A scam artist may make up a story about how someone they know is dying, they have to travel somewhere on short notice, or their bills need to be paid. Remember, a real sugar momma has the wealth to make you her sugar baby. She wouldn’t need help paying the bills.

Signs of a Scam

She sends money that never arrives or her checks bounce. If you’ve hooked up with a sugar momma and there are problems with your payments, she may not be who she says she is. Real sugar mommas have the money to pay you. Although mistakes happen, they should be able to pay you the amount you’ve agreed upon. Rub the MICR line (the line of bulky numbers) at the bottom of a check with your finger before cashing it. If the line or numbering smudges, the check is fake. Never deposit a check and refund a sugar momma the money if they claim to have overpaid you. This is a common check scam that tricks you and the bank out of money. Notice if your sugar momma keeps making excuses for a payment not arriving (got lost in the mail, a technology glitch, etc.). Mistakes happen, but they don’t happen consistently.

She doesn't seem wealthy or keeps asking for money. Sugar mommas should have the funds to support themselves and your companionship. If you’ve been hooking up for a while and notice she doesn’t live a lavish, upper class life or asks you for financial support, she’s probably not legit. Pay attention to the quality of her clothes and jewelry, the car she drives, and where she eats. Be wary if she flaunts her money too, as this may be a method to try and trick you into thinking she’s wealthy. Suggest that lessening or stopping your services may help her save money. Offer to continue being her sugar baby once the time is right financially.

She avoids questions about the future or her life. A fake sugar momma won’t want you to know about her. It isn’t uncommon for a sugar momma to hide parts of her life, but it is a red flag if she shares nothing at all. Notice if she dodges questions about your next meetings and/or keeps talking to a minimum. Do your best to schedule a time to meet her again. If she continues to make excuses, it may be time to find a new sugar momma.

Dos & Don’ts of Finding a Sugar Momma

Do be skeptical of her advances and offers. It’s always better to err on the side of caution when getting a sugar momma. If an allowance is too good to be true, it most likely is—don’t be afraid to use your common sense!

Do ask detailed questions. The more questions you ask, the more likely she’ll get caught in a lie. You don’t have to know everything about her life, but make sure you get to know her a bit before becoming her sugar baby. If something doesn’t add up, it may be a scam. Start with simple questions like: What do you do for a living? Are you currently in a relationship? How do you like living here? Do you have any pets? Tell me more about what you like to do.

Do video chat before you meet in person. Always have a conversation with a potential sugar momma face-to-face before hooking up. People can easily fake their identities online and over the phone. Talking to her via video chat can give you a clue if she’s really who she says she is. Ask if she can put on her camera (make sure you follow suit too). If she makes excuses about why she can’t video chat (broken camera, no internet, etc.), it’s most likely a scam.

Do use credible websites to find a sugar momma. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to find a sugar momma, but you have to be careful where you look. Seeking, CougarLife, and OlderWomenDating are specifically designed for older women to find younger sugar babies and vice versa. Simply sign up and start searching! Purchasing a monthly subscription is needed to enjoy these sites' services, but the price ensures you’re on a platform with like-minded people.

Don’t give away your personal or financial information. Never offer a stranger your passwords, credit card numbers, birthdate, or Social Security number. Sharing this information could make you a victim of identity theft. Scammers will do everything in their power to coax this valuable information out of you. Stop them in their tracks by blocking them or ignoring their messages.

Don’t be too vulnerable. Try to avoid wearing your heart on your sleeve when seeking a sugar momma. You’re hired as a sugar baby to provide the sugar momma comfort and companionship. Keep in mind that relationships don’t usually blossom from a sugar momma-sugar baby arrangement. If you try being a sugar baby and it isn’t for you, that’s okay! Try online dating or take a break from companionship for a while.

Common Sugar Momma Scam Sites

Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter A sugar momma may message you on social media to offer you money. She’ll ask for nothing in return but drop a hefty number with plenty of compliments. If you agree to her arrangement, she’ll ask for your banking or personal information and send you a fake check or money. The message may say something like, “Hi, baby. I’m a sugar momma in NY and am looking for someone to spoil. You’re super cute, and I’d like to offer you a monthly allowance of $1,500. Let me know if you’re interested.” There’s no harm in responding to the offer to see if it’s legit. If she asks for your phone number, credit card information, address, or Social Security number, she’s trying to scam you and steal your identity and/or money. Block the user the second she asks for personal information.

Cash App, PayPal, and Venmo Someone may reach out to you on social media, promising to send you money. When they get your Cash App, PayPal, or Venmo information, they’ll send a fake screenshot saying they’ve sent the money. They’ll blame technology for the money not going through and ask you to send a small amount to ensure they have the correct information. Never give your virtual wallet information to someone you don’t know. Block the user immediately if you receive an odd message or screenshot of an unknown transaction.

Reporting a Scam

Report a sugar momma scam to the Better Business Bureau. If you’ve spotted a fake sugar momma in action, take screenshots of the encounter and file a report using the BBB Scam Tracker. This way, other people will know there’s a scam artist in the area.