Smartphones have revolutionized the world, making it easier to call at a cheaper rate from one part of the world to another using apps. With the help of these apps, you can not only make financial payments but also have the power to create office presentations on them while traveling.
As per the latest data, an average American spends 4.5 hours on a smartphone on a daily basis. From watching blockbuster movies online to watching newsfeeds on various social media platforms and dedicated entertainment platforms, smartphones have become an integral part of our lives.
Many of the younger generations are prone to find a date online through social media platforms and dating apps rather than personally finding them in a social gathering.
However, no matter how innocent your intentions are, scammers are out there to scam you. As they say, where there is money, there are con artists. Of all the scams perpetrated online, romance scams are very popular among scammers.
Romance Scam Explained
The Internet is a great source of information and enhances your awareness compared to the traditional news platforms that we watch on cable networks. The number of online scams reported by these alternate print media far exceeds the traditional ones.
Scammers have such a grip over their victims that they are in a state of denial when they get scammed by them. They believe they have at last found their true love and would stop at nothing to maintain a dedicated and loving relationship.
According to the Consumer Sentinel Data Book reports of romance scams, 64,003 U.S. citizens fell for a Dating scam, losing a total far exceeding $1.14 billion in 2023 alone. These are just the official figures that have been recorded; in reality, the numbers far exceed them.
Seniors in our society are more inclined to fall for romance scams. As per a report by the Federal Trade Commission’s Protecting Older Consumers Report for 2020–2021, more than $139 million was lost to such scams.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, the amount of money lost by seniors increased from $213 million in 2021 to $419 million in 2022. Scammers frequently abuse social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or both to track down their potential victims.
It has been reasoned that seniors live a solitary life and have accumulated vast amounts of money throughout their lives. The thought of loneliness in old age can be frightening. Factors such as these make them an easy target for such scams. Since they depend on social media platforms to pass their time, chances of them falling for such scams is high.
Thus, the number of unreported scams is huge, as many who realize that they have been victims do not reveal it due to shame, heartbreak, and loss of financial assets.
Red Flags of Romance Scammers
If you are single and wish to enter into a romantic relationship through social media apps, messaging platforms, and dating apps, then you must be cautious of romance scams.
Scammers Account
Scammers use photos of people that are randomly available online. Reverse the image and search for it on the internet. If it matches, then use caution. Scammers create fake personas online while creating an account. They will project themselves to be larger than life while staying equally humble in their approach to life.
The account created is of a successful individual who has all the comforts of life except love. Now that they have amassed wealth, they are ready to settle down.
Besides appearing to be philanthropic, they may also mimic someone from a military background posted in a foreign country defending democracy.
They may also mimic someone on an oil rig or in some other dangerous profession where they are exposed to a potential threat to life.
Quality Of Language
Most romance scammers have poor command over the written and spoken English language. They are prone to make frequent grammatical and punctuation errors.
Sob Story
They shower their potential victims with a sob story that would make even the bravest of hearts weak. Their story also has a lot of inconsistency. So when you find a potential partner, don’t go head over heels.
Showering with Compliments
They are ready to praise their victims for the smallest or most ordinary achievements. They will constantly shower their victims with fake praise.
Common Interests
These scammers will share a lot of things that are common with their potential victims. It can be surprising that several interests are common between the two: the scammer and the potential victim.
Difficult To Get Hold Off
These con artists will live a flight or two away from you. You may make plans to meet them, but at the last moment, they cancel their plans to meet you for various reasons. And they may cancel not once or twice but frequently.
They may also avoid a video call due to poor reception. When these scammers receive a call from their potential victim, they will avoid picking it up. Instead, they will call them at any time of the day.
Asking For Money
Scammers will frequently ask for money. If they are mimicking military personnel, then they will say that their bank account does not work here, so they need money to buy things and food from the canteen for their daily survival.
They may also ask for money to pay the company so that they can leave the job and live the rest of their lives with their love interest.
These scam artists are also known to ask for money if they are caught by a local gang or warlord. They need money to pay off the ransom.
Scammers work in groups; these so-called friends will contact the potential victim and say that the scammer contacting them has fallen victim to an accident and requires money for their recovery.
Whatever the personality these scammers assume to contact their potential victim, they are in need of constant money, which can either take the form of dollars or cryptocurrencies.
Keeping A Secret
Scammers like to keep their relationships secret. This is also one of the reasons why many victims are not forthcoming with their online relationships and confess to their near and dear ones. These con artists know very well that if their victims reveal their relationship with the scammers, the entire romance scam will come to light, and the victim’s few trusted ones will make them aware of the scam in progress.
How to Avoid Romance Scam
When you find someone of your interest through a social media app or a dating app, you should scrutinize each and every move. This will surely prevent you from falling for romance scammers and instead help you find a genuine person with whom you may find spending time worthwhile.
- Someone wants to know your sensitive details that you will never share, even with your close ones.
- If your date frequently asks for money on the pretext that they will return it,
- If someone you met online shows a fake concern to help you out financially and suggests that you invest in cryptos or other financial markets,
- If someone requests to keep your relationship a secret, then it is best to get your trusted few involved.
- Someone is staying a flight or two away from you and repeatedly postponing meeting you in person due to some emergencies.
- A friend of the person says that your love interest has suffered an accident and wants you to pay the medical bills.
- When they stop calling you and all of a sudden call you and request money to pay a ransom for their release,
- When you call, the person declines that call but expects you to pick up as and when they find the time.
- Avoid sharing all your details online, as scammers are known to track down their potential victims.
Types of Dating Scams
We have shown you that these charlatans operate; now we will shed light on how they contact their potential victims. Below are the scams that are common in romance scams, and the victims are ready to do anything to keep their relationship alive and committed.
Military Scam
Scammers will mimic military personnel, and they entice their victims as they make them believe that they are serving the nation. One of the common ways these scammers demand money from their potential victims is that they need money to pay for supplies for their daily needs. They cannot access their banks due to poor reception or because their bank service is not authorized in the place where they are located.
They may also fake their accident, saying that they need to pay the hospital for their ongoing treatment.
In both cases, military forces are protecting the democracy overseas, and all their expenses are borne by the government they serve. Be it for daily needs or becoming a victim of a life-threatening accident, the government pays through their pockets.
Love Bombing
In this romance scam, scammers will frequently shower their victims with fake compliments. Once they have total control over their victims, they will then start to ask for monetary favors. Scammers also expect their potential victims to shower them with expensive gifts and cryptos.
Inheritance Scam
Remember back in the days when winning a massive lottery or sweepstakes that you had never been a part of was common? Well, scammers are back, and they have adapted their modus operandi a bit. These con artists will bribe their potential victims with greed so that they can be a part of the inheritance that they have received. Since they do not have the money with them right now, they expect their victims to pay the expenses. They ask them to provide their sensitive details too.
Once they have the details of their victim’s financial accounts, they quickly take all the money belonging to the victim and transfer it to theirs.
Investment Scam
These charlatans will show fake concerts regarding their potential victims’ finances. They will first compel them to take a great interest in the business opportunity that they have to share. Once the victims show interest, then the romantic talks take second place, and these scammers will make “making money” their primary focus.
These con artists will encourage them to invest more and more until it becomes quite obvious to the victim that they are only after their money and nothing else.
Blackmail Scam
Scammers will entice their victims through romantic talks. They will continue until they have total control over their victims. Then, all of a sudden, they will make a video call and engage in romantic acts. Once their victim starts to reciprocate these actions, a few minutes later, they receive a call.
The call will be from the scammers and will demand huge amounts of money in dollars or cryptos, and should their victim fail to do so, they will circulate the video where they are in a compromising position. Unfortunately, their victims succumb to their demands.
Dating App
The authorities of any dating app are well aware of dating scams, and they are also well aware of the consequences that a victim has to face after the scam has been revealed. However, they are ready to compensate the victims of a scam if it is carried out on their platforms. Scammers are also well aware of these guidelines, and hence they try to shift their conversation with their potential victims to another social media or messaging platform.
Thus, if anyone you meet online for the first time in your life requests that you move the conversation to another platform, you can be sure that it’s a scammer.
Catfishing
Not all scams involve money; there are some scams where the scammers collect as much information as possible from their potential victims, even those who are sensitive. After collecting all that is required from the victims, these scammers will sell their information online to other scammers.
Reporting Romance Scam
After you compile all the details, you need to visit your local law enforcement agency and file a complaint with them. Simultaneously, you should contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and file a complaint. Additionally, you must file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
Visit your bank and provide them with the scam details; simultaneously, you also want to reach out to the credit bureau and file a complaint with them too. Request for an account freeze until the investigation is completed. Request a free report, look for any unauthorized entries, and report when you find one.
Change all your passwords for all your social media platforms, financial accounts, financial investment accounts, and even crypto accounts if you have one.
Alternatively, for a quick and realistic recovery of your financial assets, consider contacting our experts. They will provide you with personalized financial asset recovery strategies and their execution.
If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a romance scam, then Contact us to report your case and our asset recovery specialists would be glad to be at your service.
Final Thoughts
Avoid sharing sensitive details online on your social media platforms. Scammers are known to track their potential victims online. And for these reasons, why do your interests match 100%? Be on guard when someone tries to probe you with sensitive details. Avoid sharing any details with your online date that you might regret later.
