So in order to try and weed out the scammers and fakes I started asking people that want my email of phone number to send me a picture of them holding a piece of paper with my name on it. Unfortunately the only three people who have done it have ended up being phishing scams but the way most people react you'd think I was asking them to cut off a finger and send it to me.

So this question is more for the ladies here but is it bad to ask for a simple selfy holding a piece of paper, or have I gone too far?

Because I am completely honest, I would have no desire
to have to prove who I am.

The truth will out.

So then what should I do because at this point I've had so many scammers and fake contact me that I'm beginning to think that everyone outside of the forums isn't real.

Just like Soufie, I have no desire to prove to some stranger that I'm honest. If a guy is so distrusting he better work on his issues as opposed to projecting them on any potential new person.

So yes, you go too far with that. There's no way I would ever do that.

I would be telling you to go do one .
I’m with Soufie ,

Okay I get it, I'll stop asking, give up on dating and just stick to the forums because at least I know you the people her are real.

I agree with soufie and Crystal so I wouldn’t do it either.

Anyone initially asking me for my email addy or phone number would get a response of NO from me.

So it's your way and doing something ridiculous or no dating. Wow.
Getting in a victim role isn't pretty.
But if that makes you happy...

No I'm just tired of people I give my email or phone number to asking me to send them money and when I say no I end up getting spammed with porn ads and foul language.

I'm with Soufie and the others.

'Cept, I'm much less polite.

Sorry
But more fool you for giving them out to people then

Okay so tell me what I should do then, because I was just trusting people and now I'm spam blocking at least one new number a day and my inbox is full of porn and sex site ads?

What do you do when someone asks you to chat somewhere else?

There is no good reason to chat elsewhere. The site provides an adequate free email service.

Report then block the idiots who request your
personal info in first contact.

Report then block the porn ads.

Scroll to the bottom of your inbox to find the link
that says Limit Who Can Contact Me. Click on it.
Selecting a minimum age for contact helps alot.
(My min is set to 40)
Click SAVE.

But no one that talks to me here wants to chat here and is always giving me some reason they can't always get on this site.

That’s because they’re here for nefarious reasons If they can chat on other platforms then they can just as easily chat on this one!

Thank you all you've been a great help!

Really, after a bit, you will be able to spot the insincere,
they might as well come wrapped in a stink bomb, they are
so obvious.

Totally ignore them, they go away.
There is NO reason to have to chat elsewhere, that is a
huge red flag.

And in the meantime you can get everything off your
chest in the forums ;-)

Hummm due to if they are not local I do not chat with them as anything but a friend...

My deal is local only and a face to face meet within two weeks.. If they can not do that then don't waste my time...

Since I'm real the way I see it if you want a pic meet me in person to prove you are real..

Pictures mean nothing many can photoshop a pic with your name on it..

Kind of hard to fake a live meet~~

Normally once I request a live meet silence from those that are all talk~~ lol

Have you been watching how they speak?? I can tell a fake pretty quickly by their use of the English language and proper English. Some can't translate their words correctly. I always get... "Hello pretty" with an American picture showing lol wouldn't it be, "hello beautiful" ?? I delete them lol