Welcome to our Virtual Blog Tour stop of "A Social Affair" by Earl Sewell & Pat Tucker.

The internet, social media, and online dating sites are all ripe for romance--and potential scams. But you can avoid opening your heart, and your wallet to potential fraud. With several common sense precautions, you can avoid falling victim to predators that hide behind false online personas. Some of the most common tools of the trade for them include, email discrepancies during the course of your communications, personality inconsistencies, at first, he seems perfect and willing to do anything, but then he quickly turns cold, and aloof.

If you ask a simple question and he takes awhile to respond, then he is likely lying. But above all else, trust your intuition. That little voice in your head tells you when something doesn’t sound right. If your online partner sounds too good to be true, then he probably is, and the only way to know for sure is by following your gut instincts and these five tips:

Keep personal information close: Avoid sharing personal information with the person you think you’re in love with, if you’ve never met face to face. Regardless of the level of trust you think you’ve established, a scammer wants you to let your guard down.

Be suspicious if someone wants to immediately start communicating through IM and e-mail. They may want access to your computer in order to steal information.

A cautionary tale about finding love online and the trouble that comes with cheating. Bored with her humdrum married life, thirty-two-year-old Codi Norman is searching for excitement. After teaming up with her best friend, Katina, Codi discovers that the Internet offers both money and an escape from her earthly life. In cyberspace anything is possible, and that is what Codi loves most. 

While online, she meets a charming and handsome man named Quinn Hamilton. Sparks fly and the two begin a torrid affair with unpredictable consequences. But their virtual lives collide with reality when their spouses discover their illicit relationship.

Many of Pat’s stories are ripped from the headlines. Her work has been featured on The Nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning show, Essence.com, Ebony magazine, YahooShine, and a slew of radio and TV stations. By day, Pat Tucker Wilson works as a radio news director in Houston, TX. By night, she is a talented writer with a knack for telling page-turning stories. A former television news reporter, she draws on her background to craft stories readers will love. With more than fifteen years of media experience, the award-winning broadcast journalist has worked as a reporter for ABC, NBC and Fox affiliate TV stations and radio stations in California and Texas. Visit www.authorpattucker.com