What is a Romance Scam?

Unfortunately, anyone can be a victim of a romance scam. But there are certain vulnerable groups that may be more at risk than others. Widows/widowers and divorcees are common targets due to their relationship status, while seniors can be particularly vulnerable if they have a large amount of money and aren’t as tech-savvy as others.

 

Women are the most vulnerable to romance scams, particularly those aged 55 to 64. But that doesn’t mean young people shouldn’t be aware either. Although younger people may be more technologically adept, their trust in who they meet online can make them especially vulnerable to this type of scam.

 

In most cases of romance scams, the scammer will profess their love for the individual in a short amount of time. They will often claim to be overseas and use this as an excuse not to meet. They may then ask for money to be sent for a supposed emergency like medical or travel needs. These are all red flags that should be noted and watched for when trying to avoid a romance scam.

 

Most scammers will ask for money to be wired to them at some point. Even if you’ve fallen victim to their story until this point, their request for money should be the final red flag that you notice. Never send money in these situations, whether it’s out of your own bank account or via another digital payment like gift cards. Once this money leaves your hands, it’s almost impossible to get it back, even when you report the crime.

 

The best way to protect yourself is to avoid becoming a victim of romance scams to begin with. However, it’s becoming more and more difficult to identify who might be a scammer and who is genuine, particularly when online profiles look real. Always do your due diligence when connecting with new people online, even if it’s someone you know in real life. Double-check their username before connecting and confirm in another way that this is the right person.

 

Any online relationships that you begin should be taken slowly. Scammers will often try to rush getting to know you and building a relationship so that they can ask for money as quickly as possible. Try to counter any attempts of this by responding in a measured way and not revealing anything too personal too quickly. Ask questions of them as you would when getting to know someone offline and do your own research on their friends, their career, their background, and anything else you can find out about them online.

 

Never send money to someone you’ve not met in person and, if you’re concerned, involve someone in your real life who you trust to do some extra research on this person and the communication you’ve been having.

 

If you think you’ve sent money to a scammer, immediately contact your bank. They’ll know how to protect your financial data and stop any more money from being taken. You should also inform the credit bureaus if you’ve revealed personal information that could be compromised as part of an identity theft attempt.

Finally, you should report your case to the FBI and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if you believe you’ve been a victim of a romance scam. They can provide you with additional resources and support to help protect your identity from further corruption and also investigate the case themselves to protect others in the future.

 

The most important thing to remember when dealing with a possible romance scam is trusting your own intuition. Your gut instincts are usually right and if something feels wrong, it probably is. Back off from communication with the individual if you’re suspicious and report them if you feel that they could be a criminal.