Don’t Let Love Blind You: The Rising Threat of Romance Scams

What are Romance Scams?

Romance scams occur when a criminal assumes a false online persona to acquire the affection and confidence of a victim. The scammer then manipulates and steals from the victim by creating the illusion of a loving or intimate connection.

Romance scammers are masters at what they do and will appear sincere, compassionate, and credible. Most dating and social networking services include con artists.

The scammer’s purpose is to quickly establish a relationship, attach themselves to the victim, and gain trust. Scammers may propose marriage and make plans to meet in person, but their promises are never kept. They will ultimately demand payment.

Romance scammers build bogus accounts on dating sites and apps, or they approach you via popular social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook. Scammers establish a connection with you to gain your confidence, sometimes talking or speaking numerous times each day. Then they fabricate a tale and demand money.

Scammers frequently claim to be in the building and construction sector and to be working on projects outside the United States. That makes it simpler to avoid meeting in person, and it makes it more credible when they ask for money for a medical emergency or an unforeseen legal bill.

If you meet someone online who needs your bank account details to deposit money, they are most likely utilizing your account to commit other types of theft and fraud.

In 2021, people reported a record $547 million loss due to romance scams. It is around 80% more than what the FTC received in 2020. People reported paying romance fraudsters with gift cards more than any other payment method in 2021. According to the 2021 reports, Bitcoin payments were also the most expensive.

Common Lies Romance Scammers Tell

Romance scammers tailor their stories to what they believe would be effective in each setting.

• Scammers claim they are unable to meet you in person. They may claim to be living or traveling outside of the country, working on an oil rig, in the military, or with an international organization.

• Scammers will approach you and beg for money. Once they have your trust, they will beg for your assistance in paying medical expenditures (for themselves or a family member), purchasing a plane ticket to visit you, obtaining a visa, or paying fees to get them out of trouble. They could even offer to assist you in getting started with Bitcoin investment.

• Scammers will instruct you on how to pay. All fraudsters, not only romance scammers, seek to acquire your money as soon as possible. And they want your money in a way that makes it difficult for you to recover it. They’ll instruct you to wire money using a firm like Western Union or MoneyGram, load money onto gift cards (like Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, or Steam), provide PIN codes, send money via a money transfer app, or transfer Bitcoin.

• Scammers use these tactics to drive you into responding quickly and spending money. But it’s an obvious ruse.

Romance scammers employ various scenarios to dupe people into handing them money. They may say they want funds for fictitious legal expenditures, fictitious medical problems, rent they do not owe due to fictitious job loss, fictitious tuition or school costs, fictitious passport charges, and even fictitious tax concerns. Because these stories affect emotions and trust, it is critical to be cautious and suspicious when confronted with such demands.

What Are the Most Recent Romance Scams?

Scammers are changing their focus to increasingly intricate scams, so here are some of the most popular ones to better prepare yourself.

Military Romance Scams: As the term implies, someone will reach out and pose as a member of the military. They will most likely be deployed in most circumstances, which is why you cannot meet face to face. They will then gain your trust and eventually ask you to pay them money to cover expenses such as a trip back home. They often prefer cash transfers or cryptocurrency and will make almost any excuse not to get an air mile transfer. They will insist on cash transactions that are difficult to trace.

Wrong Number Scams: While receiving a text message from an incorrect number is common, it can also be a scam attempt. The BBB is reporting an increase in romance scams employing incorrect phone numbers, which generally appear to be a young girl texting a friend.

The primary purpose here is to evoke pity from unknowing victims who will want to engage with the little girl. Once you respond, the users know the line is operational and can proceed with various social engineering frauds. Some fraudsters may email you explicit photographs and try to get you to join pornographic sites where they may steal your credit card information.

Fake Dating Sites: With so many people flocking to online dating, around 57 million in the United States alone, there has been an upsurge in bogus dating services. Fake dating services are resorting to artificial intelligence (AI) to keep the discussion flowing to look legitimate and popular. Combined with the use of deep fakes, this may trick you into thinking that you are conversing with a real person rather than a chatbot. They intend to steal your credit card information and money from your accounts.

Red Flags To Look Out For

As online dating gets more popular and romance scams become more frequent, being alert of online scammers is more important than ever.

Here are four red flags that you’re dealing with a scammer:

• They are fast to declare their affection.
• They pretend to be a U.S. citizen working abroad for business or military interests.
• They demand money even though they have never met you.
• They want to quit the dating site right away and communicate via personal emails or messages.

Conclusion

In a world where technology connects hearts from across the globe, the rising threat of romance scams demands our utmost caution and awareness. As the allure of online relationships grows, so does the cunning of those who seek to exploit it. By understanding the tactics used by romance scammers and staying informed about the red flags, you can shield yourself from heartache and financial loss. Remember, scammers are adept at weaving webs of deceit that often seem alluring and genuine. Ensuring online dating safety requires a vigilant approach.

Safeguarding your heart and wallet goes beyond simple skepticism; it involves actively verifying identities, resisting the urge to send money to strangers, and reporting suspicious activity. Embracing the power of knowledge and self-care, you can navigate the world of online connections with confidence. So, as you embark on your journey to find love or companionship in the digital realm, always protect against romance scams, and remember to have your online dating safety at the forefront of your mind. Your heart deserves nothing less than genuine connections built on trust and authenticity.

Keep your heart and the funds in your account safe ensuring online dating safety. Don’t transfer money to someone you don’t know, even if you’ve known them for years. Keep in mind that the person behind that online profile might be someone out to steal your money.

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