It’s almost Valentine’s Day! With all the romance in the air, it’s easy to let your guard down, which is exactly when scammers strike. Have you tried online dating and someone you’re talking to asks for money urgently due to a sudden emergency? Don’t fall for it, they are trying to pull a Romance Scam.
What is a Romance Scam?
Online dating has become the new standard for dating within the last decade. There are so many dating websites and apps available to meet someone online. Scammers will create fake dating profiles on these popular sites and apps to build relationships with potential victims.
First, they will start out by just talking to you several times a day to build trust rapport. After they believe that they have you reeled in, they will tell you a story about why they need you to send them money.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) created this graphic over the favorite lies Romance Scammers like to use.
What to do If You Suspect a Romance Scam
If you have never met in person, do not ever send money or gifts. Below are some actions the FTC suggests you take if you believe someone is trying to pull a Romance Scam on you.
If you think it’s a Romance Scam:
- Stop talking to them immediately.
- Talk to your family and friends about this person to see what they think.
- Search online to check if their story, which they told you, appears in similar scam stories that people have used.
- Take their profile picture and do a reverse image search. This is a good way to see if they are using photos that aren’t thiers.
How to Report a Romance Scam:
If you already paid the scammer with any form of payment, contact your bank immediately. Inform the bank that you have paid a scammer and request a refund of your money.
Report the fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Then, report their account on whatever platform you met them on.