What is a Romance Scam?
A romance scam is a fraudulent act perpetrated on romantic interests. The criminal who has no intention of keeping the relationship intends to seek to extract funds from the victims. These love-thieves commonly carry with them forged identification such as passports, military IDs, or birth certificates.
Section 2: Who is a Victim of a Romance Scam?
The victims of romance scams vary from one continent to another. The US is home to the largest number of victims, with Italy coming second and Canada coming third.
A source quoted by the United States Department of Justice, stated that “males are more commonly the victims of romance scams than females”.
Who’s at Risk?
The age group that’s most likely to fall for a romance scam is young women between the ages of 21 and 34 years old. They’re especially vulnerable when they meet men through online dating sites, as the majority of romance scammers are using fake identities. Romance scammers can be anyone, from a working professional to a neighbor or friend. They also pose as women from wealthy families, and many are involved in criminal activities such as human trafficking. Most of them know how to talk and act very well, and they are very convincing. The scammer will come up with some flattery, then he or she will sweet talk you into revealing all of your financial information. The scammer will leave messages on your phone, claiming that they’ve been in an accident and need money for their hospitalization.
Signs of Scams
Fake Body Weight: Scammers may claim to be a specific weight in order to keep their victims coming back for more money. The scammer may also try to list certain personal details about them that are inaccurate, such as an address or date of birth that is actually false. The body shaming that the scammer applies during the conversation about you may also convince you that this is all for the sake of your safety.
Scamming Tactics: The romance scammer may show you very few photos online that are actually their own, and they may also not be your typical and most appropriate profile photos. The person may also respond to your messages without you actually sending them a message. This is a sign that you’re dealing with a scammer that doesn’t want to ask you out on a date yet.
What to do if You’re Scammed
If you have ever been approached by someone on the Internet, you have probably been scammed at some point. The Internet is filled with scam sites. You have to watch out. If you are approached by anyone online, you should not immediately fall for their line of crap and give them money or give them any of your personal information. Before you even give out information, make sure they can send it to you. Never give money to strangers and never give your information to someone you do not know. Use common sense and find out if the person you are talking to is a real person or someone who is using a stolen profile. It is really easy to tell that you are being scammed.
How to Get Money Back for Scams
There are a few different ways to get money back.
How to Prevent Becoming a Victim
To prevent getting scammed, make sure that the person you are dating actually has some kind of relationship with you. If the guy just randomly introduced himself on the street, there is no way you would consider going out with him. Scammers use social engineering to achieve their goals. Their “good guy” image might work on you and convince you to get involved with them. When you are communicating with a person, remember that they might know exactly where you are. You might have an idea about their location. These are the types of things to watch out for when looking for someone online.
If you have received a notification from your bank, you should contact them immediately.
Use common sense when chatting online
Sadly, not everyone is able to develop a common sense. There are instances when people get too enthusiastic when talking with a romantic partner online. Unfortunately, these people tend to share a lot of personal details and divulge a lot of personal information, including intimate messages and personal information, and even private photos of themselves. These messages and photos are taken from a stranger’s social media account without the suspect’s permission. This could be the result of someone copying someone’s identity.
When you’re chatting with a stranger online, it’s best to proceed with caution. Obviously, no one wants to hear from someone they don’t know, and it’s a good idea to be a bit skeptical about whom you are chatting with.
Recognize the red flags before it’s too late
If you are dating someone, or already in a relationship, you need to pay attention to these simple dating tricks to avoid romance scams:
Get to know the person online, through mutual friends or mutual friends on social media.
If the person is very active online, set a time limit to how long you will communicate with them.
If a person immediately asks for money and you do not withdraw immediately or have contact, it is most likely a scam.
If you haven’t initiated contact, avoid any direct requests for money or sending of gifts.
If a person talks about travels or being in a relationship with someone else but refuses to meet you, this is a red flag.
If you are not happy with a person’s sense of humor, ask if the person is someone they know from offline.