Scammers often try to play on vulnerabilities when targeting victims. So, it’s not surprising that they'd target someone who may be feeling lonely and looking for companionship online. Read on to learn more about romance scams, how they typically unfold, and how to protect yourself.
Romance scams occur when a fraudster poses as an individual looking for love, typically on an online dating site.
They begin a conversation with someone on the site and quickly try to escalate the relationship – telling their victim that they’ve fallen in love with them. It’s common for the fraudster to say they live in another country, squashing the possibility of easily meeting in person.
Once they have their victim hooked, they attempt to take their money.
Once the romance scammer has convinced their victim that they’re looking for a real relationship, it’s common for a sad story to begin to unfold. Examples include:
Regardless of the story, the next step is often the same – the fraudster asks the victim to send money, often via wire payment.
Once they receive the money, they’re gone. And because it was sent via wire transfer, the funds are usually untraceable, meaning the victim's cash is gone, too.
While the story the fraudster tells may vary, there are certain red flags that are usually present in any romance scam. The scammer usually:
Being informed about scams is one of the best ways to protect yourself from becoming a victim. If something feels off or causes you to be suspicious, trust your gut and stop communicating with the fraudster.
For more information about common money mule scams and how to protect yourself and your finances, visit the Security section of our blog.