Sadly enough, the Internet, much like the real world, is full of con artists, people and online dating scams who will stop at nothing to get their hands on your hard earned money.

The same way you get up and go to work every day, these people get up every morning, sit down to their computers and weave fantastical tales designed to separate you from your wallet.

I’ve seen it happen to plenty of men. They meet an exotic sounding woman online and pretty soon they’re forking over heaps of cash, caught up in the idea of a Russian mail order bride.

First, she needs money for a sick relative or a close friend in dire need. Then, she could use help with fund for a visa and travel expenses. When she’s finally ready to come to the States for a visit, the younger siblings that she cares for will need money to stay afloat while she’s having fun visiting you.

There are men out there every day who will listen to these lies, wire the money and then show up at the airport, expecting to see these women that they’ve developed relationships with.

And of course, the women don’t materialize. And often times, she seems to vanish from the internet as well. Suddenly, these poor guys are left with a trail of cold emails and hopes for what could have been.

Meanwhile, these women (or perhaps very cunning men) are on to their next mark, leaving their past targets with a huge cash deficit or a mountain of debt and nothing to show for it..

I’m a huge advocate of online dating, but I hate to see anyone get sucked into a scam when all they really want to do is meet women online.

So there are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind.

When women on dating sites start asking you for money, cut your losses and move on before your wallet feels the burn. Be wary of women who claim to be overseas—especially countries like Russia and Africa.

Be cautious of women who claim to be super wealthy. Before you get your heart set on a millionaire match, think about this: if you were loaded, would you go around telling complete strangers online about your financial status? There could be something fishy about a story like this.

Your best bet is to talk to women in your own city. Sometimes, even local classified sites like Craigslist and Myspace are good places to find women in your own area for free. If the women are not being honest about where they live, you should be able to figure it before things get too complicated.