Dating and Romance Scams
Dating and romance scammers attempt to lower defenses by appealing to an individual's romantic or compassionate side and play on emotional or societal triggers to achieve the response they crave. These scams play out when an individual meets someone over the Internet or through and advertisement who quickly begins to profess love and ask for money or gifts.
Other People Are Reading
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Online Dating and Romance Scams
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Dating and romance scams may begin innocently when individuals seeking love enter legitimate dating websites, chat lines or answer advertisements. Scammers also may set up a dating website in which a person pays for each received email. Romance scammers create false profiles and send out vague phishing emails filled with demonstrative talk of love. Scammers often claim to be from Europe or Africa and send alluring photos depicting someone glamorous or handsome. Once a connection is made, the scammer asks the U.S. citizen to send money or credit card information for living expenses, travel expenses or visa costs promising love in return. At times the scammer asks for money to help an ailing family member who is in desperate need of surgery. Some scams have escalated, in which U.S. citizens are informed of a fatal accident and money is requested for funeral costs. Many U.S. citizens have reported losing thousands of dollars through dating and romance scams.
Warning Signs
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The anonymity of the Internet suggests that most people cannot be certain of a correspondent's real name, age, marital status, nationality or even gender. Cases reported to the embassy verify that all correspondents use fictitious characters to lure individuals into sending money. One warning sign that suggests a correspondent may be a scammer is when the correspondent wants to leave the dating site quickly and use personal email accounts instead. They may claim instant feelings of love and to be from the United States but are actually living overseas. They plan to visit, however, and are unable to due to a tragic event. Money is requested for medication, hospital bills or travel expenses. They make multiple requests to send money. The Federal Trade Commission warns citizens that once money is wired, it can no longer be recovered. Requests for more money will continue.
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Protect Yourself from Dating and Romance Scams
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To protect yourself, remove all emotion from the situation presented prior to acting on the request. Talking to a friend or relative may often offer another perspective into the situation. Money or credit card information should never be given through an email, especially to unknown persons. All suspicious or unsolicited emails should be deleted and never responded to -- even to unsubscribe. All website addresses should be checked carefully as scammers often create fake websites with similar addresses.
File a Complaint to the FTC
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When U.S. citizens have been scammed, they may feel embarrassed. However, it is imperative to report an online dating and romance scam to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC works with all consumers to prevent fraudulent and deceptive scams.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit romance image by Tomasz Wojnarowicz from Fotolia.com
