Romance scams occur when
criminal actors deceive victims into believing they are engaging in a trusting
relationship. They use that relationship to persuade victims to send money,
provide personal and financial information, or purchase items for them. In
2021, the FTC reported that victims lost more than $547 million to romance
scams. These schemes affect victims from all demographics.
The FBI offers these warning signs of the actors and their
schemes:
- Immediate attempts to communicate by email or messaging
services outside of a dating site
- Claims to be from the U.S. but is currently living or
traveling abroad
- Claims that being introduced was “destiny” or
“fate”
- Reports a sudden personal crisis and pressures you to
provide financial help
- Disappears suddenly from a site, but reappears under a
different name
- Asks for money, goods, or other types of financial
assistance without having met in person
The best defense against romance scams is education and
awareness. Below are some tips to help avoid becoming a victim:
- Be careful what you post and make public online.
Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better
understand and target you.
- Research the person’s photo and profile using online
searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used
elsewhere.
- Go slowly and ask lots of questions.
- Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly
asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate
directly.
- Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from
friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial
information that could later be used to extort you.
- Beware if the individual promises to meet in person but
then always comes up with an excuse why he or she can’t. If you haven’t
met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good
reason to be suspicious.
- Never send money to anyone you have only communicated
with online or by phone.
If you believe you are a victim of a romance scam, the FBI
recommends reporting the activity to the IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov. You should also contact
your financial institution if you discover fraudulent or suspicious
transactions. Finally, you should report the activity to the website or
application where the contact first began.