Are Sugar Mommas Legal?
Despite common misconceptions, sugar arrangements aren’t the same as sex work. The latter involves nothing but an exchange of sexual favors for cash (which is illegal across the fifty states). The former is a form of compensated relationships that involve dates, gifts, and common experiences much like traditional dating and marriage, except without all the drama and responsibilities.
Besides, there are dozens of sugar dating sites and apps that operate legally in the US, and these are a few prime examples of reputable platforms:
- 🔥CougarLife: Made for hot connections between younger men and experienced women
- Secret Benefits: High popularity ensures better match possibilities
- CougarPourMoi: The go-to for mature, financially stable women looking for SBs and cubs in Europe
How Do Sugar Momma Scams Work?
In 2023, over 64,000 Americans reported online romance scams, and their cumulative loss reached $1.14 billion. Although there’s no saying how many of these were sugar momma scam victims, in the current economy, you need to be extra vigilant and learn to recognize the red flags.
Here’s a quick overview of common scams:
- Straight up stealing. Fake sugar mommas ask sugar babies to send money (a small sum, like $5 or $10) via a cash app, PayPal, or cryptocurrency to prove they are serious about setting up an IRL date. After you wire the money, you’ll never hear from them again. Although each sugar baby loses a small sum, large-scale scams can produce thousands in profit for people running them.
- Identity theft. Scammers try every trick to steal your personal or financial information. You’ll get phishing links designed to steal your bank account details or get you to share your address, full name, or SSN. Criminals will use that information to steal your money or con you into giving it up.
- Blackmail. Fake sugar mommas get you to disclose sensitive personal information, like nude photos and videos, only to threaten to release it online unless you pay them off.
Sugar daddy scams work the same way, and no one is 100% safe from falling victim to such schemes, even if you don’t use dating sites or apps. Scammers use the same tactics on social media, Discord, Reddit, etc.
How to Know if a Sugar Momma Is Real?
The sad truth is that there’s no way to be 100% sure you’re dealing with a legitimate sugar momma until you get money from her. Still, there are three steps you can take to feel safer:
- Reverse image search. Search online to make sure sugar mama’s photos belong to a real person.
- Video messages and calls. Ask a sugar momma to shoot a short clip in a specific setting or wearing a specific outfit if you can’t arrange a video chat.
- IRL dates. Face-to-face meetings are the ultimate test, as a real sugar momma will be eager to get her money’s worth, while a scammer will try to dodge IRL dates at any cost.
In case you have doubts about a suspicious sugar momma, don’t tempt fate. Block her, report suspicious activity, and look for another partner. When it comes to sugar momma or sugar daddy scam, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Wrapping Up
Potential sugar babies are as likely to be scammed as sugar daddies and mommas. Caution is paramount for all dating site users, as losing money is way more likely than retrieving it after getting scammed. Use our tips to stay one step ahead of fraudsters haunting sugar dating sites.
