What are romance scams and how can you avoid them?

“I fell in love with him. He claimed he felt the same way about me,” said a romance scam victim who requested anonymity. I met He claimed to be working for the military in South Africa.

After talking for a while, Bob said he would like to visit the victim who lives in the United States. Sure enough, he started asking for money. “He told me he had problems with his bank card not working in South Africa and was unable to obtain funds to pay for the flight,” Anonymous said. I asked if I could send money for [flight] and other things. “

Victims, like many others, sent money to scammers. Romance scams are a multi-million dollar problem that seems to only get worse. People are reported lost, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). $547 million in romance scams(opens in new tab) By 2021, it will increase by 80% year-on-year. But what exactly is a romance scam and how can you avoid it?

What is a love scam?

romance scam(opens in new tab) It is also called trust fraud because the scammer needs to gain the victim’s trust. This is a form of social manipulation where scammers create fake profiles on dating sites and social media platforms to initiate conversations with victims and make them emotional, the court said. attorneys and partners said. Clark Law Office(opens in new tab) David Clark.

Scammers often target vulnerable people, such as the elderly, recently divorced, and widows. However, “it’s important to remember that these scams can happen to anyone, regardless of their level of financial knowledge,” said the former investment banker, top mobile bank(opens in new tab)a site dedicated to digital banking.

After gaining the victim’s trust, the scammers start demanding money. They come up with excuses such as there is a medical emergency or they want to visit the victim, as Bob did. They demand more and more money until they are in need.

Unfortunately, here’s what happened to the victims Mashable spoke to. “Every day he [brought] “When he realized I had no money left, he stopped replying to my messages and stopped answering my calls.” When.

“It usually takes significant losses before the victim realizes things are wrong and resists.”

“Even the most rational individual can throw caution to the wind when it comes to matters of the heart,” Gallagher said.

People can fall for romance scams because scammers meet their emotional needs, said licensed therapist and vice president of marketing divorce answer(opens in new tab), Lauren Cook McKay. Scammers master what their victims want to hear: promises of love, compliments, and messages of empathy and compassion.

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“In fact, it usually takes a significant amount of loss before the victim realizes things are wrong and resists,” said Cook-McKay. “This is because when our emotional needs are being met, we try to keep that source of emotional support and push through the negative.”

According to Clark, there are multiple types of romance scams.

• Military Scams: Scammers impersonating military personnel like Bob.

• An oil drilling scam pretending to work as an oil driller.

• Exchange intimate media when scammers get victims to send nude photos or videos to use in blackmail.

“But in any type of romance scam, scammers always make excuses to avoid their victims, such as being too far away to see them or avoiding video calls.”

How can I avoid romance scams?

Be cautious when meeting online and be skeptical of people asking for personal information or money out of the blue, Gallagher said. Also, never give out details like bank account numbers or social security numbers.

Some dating apps, such as Tinder, have Verification function A place where users can prove who they are. Tinder and other Match Group dating apps are also rolling out Features to help people spot scammersIn the UK, Match and OurTime partnered for a similar campaign with London Police and Reporting Centre’s Action Fraud.

If you’re using the service without validation, or the match isn’t validated, reverse image searchClark recommends doing this on a site called Google. social catfish(opens in new tab).

You can also stop talking to people who refuse to meet you in person or via video. That’s a serious red flag.

Ask questions about your identity or ask for proof. For example, if they say they are in the military, ask them to show their military ID card. “They can also ask the person their MOS [military occupation specialty code] teeth. MOS identifies the person’s job title,” Clark said. [Meal, Ready-to-Eat] deal. ”

If you’ve already given the scammer money, contact your bank or credit card company and let them know what happened, Gallagher said. Report the dating site you met, report them to the FTC(opens in new tab) likewise.

In addition to researching Match and accusing fraudsters, Cook-McKay said, “Stop falling in love.” Meet your emotional needs, learn how to validate yourself, and not rely on others. Seek help from a mental health professional if needed.

Most importantly, Gallagher said, don’t be shy about asking friends and family for support. You are not alone. “By being aware of the dangers and taking necessary precautions, we can all protect ourselves and our loved ones from the heartless actions of these scammers.”