Ahead of the most romantic holiday of the year, authorities Thursday warned people to be extra cautious on dating websites, apps or social media as scammers are looking to take advantage of people looking for love.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said online romance scams, also known as confidence fraud, become more prevalent around Valentine’s Day as fraudsters use a fake identity to gain victims’ trust with the goal of stealing their money.
The FBI said criminals behind romance scams tend to try to establish a relationship quickly by overwhelming someone with intense affection and attention first. Some may even propose marriage and make plans to meet in person — but only to ask for money.
Romance scammers also try to avoid meeting in person by coming up with various excuses or claiming they live or work in other parts of the world or country.
“Romance scams can have a devastating impact on hearts as well as bank accounts” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Anyone looking for love in cyberspace should make sure they keep their feet on the ground by educating themselves about the risks.
When fraudsters request money from their victims, they pretend it would be for a medical emergency or an unexpected accident, the FBI said.
Victims tend to be women over 40, those widowed or divorced and people with disabilities.
Over 2,000 people lost more than $112 million collectively to romance scams last year, according to the FBI.
The FBI offered the tips to avoid becoming a romance scam victim:
- Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.
- Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to go “offline.”
- Go slowly and ask lots of questions.
- Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
- Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone
Romance scam victims can file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center here.
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