Consumer Advocate 

If Valentine’s Day has you eager to find someone special, be mindful of scammers who target people looking for love this time of year. Some con artists use dating sites and social media to build trust with victims before fabricating urgent financial needs. Common stories may involve a request for money to help pay for a plane ticket or for surgery suddenly needed by a family member. Always be cautious; never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.

Romance scammers first work to build a strong emotional bond with victims through online communication, often portraying themselves as successful, wealthy and interested in a victim’s life. Once victims invest a significant amount of money, scammers often become unresponsive, disappearing with the money and, in some cases, even blocking communication channels. Victims are left broken-hearted – and without their money.

Victims of romance scams don’t fit a pattern; they may be male or female, young or old. The common denominator is that scammers prey on victims’ belief in love.

Here are some examples of common romance scams:

• Fake dating sites: Victims are lured to fraudulent dating platforms that steal personal data or install malware.
• Catfishing: Scammers create fake profiles using stolen or AI-generated photos. They build trust over time, then ask for money or personal information. They often avoid video calls or in-person meetings.
• Military romance: This scammer pretends to be a soldier stationed overseas. He claims to need money for travel, a medical emergency, or a communication fee. This scam is among the most widespread and believable.
• Fake investment opportunities: The scammer poses as successful crypto trader or business mogul and promises huge returns if you invest. Instead, your money goes straight to the scammer.
• Package or customs fees: These scammers claim they’ve sent you a valuable gift, but say you need to pay a customs or shipping fee. The package never arrives.
• Sextortion: After gaining trust, these scammers persuade victims to share intimate photos. Scammers then threaten to expose these images unless victims pay them money.  Reports of sextortion have surged, especially among younger users.

Here are some ways to avoid being scammed:

• Research people you meet online; do not rely solely on what they tell you. Conduct internet searches, including reverse-image searches, and check with independent sources to verify a person’s claims. To do a reverse-image search, copy and paste the picture of the person you have been corresponding with into a search engine to see whether it is used on multiple accounts.
• Be cautious of “love bombing,” when a new love interest showers you with affection and compliments. Be cautious of individuals who claim that destiny or fate brought you together or claim to love you after only a short time.
• Be especially wary if you have just lost a loved one; many times, scammers study obituaries to find people who have recently suffered a loss, making them potentially more vulnerable.
• Be sure to talk to family members and friends about online relationships, even if the other person asks you to keep the relationship secret.
• Don’t send money to someone you have met only online, even if you have developed a relationship with the individual.
• Be very skeptical of requests for money to be sent via wire transfer, cryptocurrency, peer-to-peer payment systems (Venmo, Zelle, etc.), money order, prepaid money cards or gift cards. These methods of payment are preferred by scammers.