What is a romance scam
For the romance scammer, it’s just a matter of time before they begin to “dig” into your personal life to meet your emotional needs. The goal is to isolate you from your friends, family and significant other. The predator starts by asking questions about your love life, then tries to gradually get information that allows him to access your personal life. This type of profile is often so good that they use them to trick people into thinking they are in an actual relationship with them.
Below are the most common warning signs to look out for when dealing with a romance scammer.
1. The goal of a romance scam is to isolate you from your friends, family, and significant other.
Once they get what they want from you, they will ditch you and never try to contact you again.
Scammers are everywhere
Romance scams have become an international problem, affecting many different countries. Women and men from all over the world have fallen victim to these dishonest relationships. Recently, a romance scammer was arrested in Russia who had been on the run for ten years. That person ended up being sentenced to 11 years in prison. Even if this individual is doing hard time, no matter how long he will be behind bars, people are still being scammed.
3 signs that you may be a victim
Romance scammers are very convincing, making it possible for them to convince people they are very genuine. They usually use extreme language and make unbelievable statements to promote their schemes. If you find yourself feeling stressed out and vulnerable, you should take action quickly and be careful.
Scammers are hard to spot
Many times these scams are easy to identify. For instance, if the victim is never shown a photo on social media and they have never exchanged direct messages with the scammer, there is a very good chance the pair are a scam. There are also different types of scams. Some scammers work alone and don’t show a photo. Other scammers share their contact information and some are involved in organized crime syndicates.
So how can you tell if you’re chatting with a scammer? The second step is to ask yourself why you’re chatting with them in the first place. Are you bored, lonely, or looking for an easy score? As an adult, you have to know the difference between an innocent approach to romance and a scammer.
One word: confidence
Imagine the profile picture is of you and you think you look great.
Signs of a romance scam
Two people meet online and fall in love. They make contact via Skype, email, and other electronic means. The relationship slowly develops over a period of time. When the online relationship becomes more serious, the scammer decides to meet in person. They pretend that they are a fellow who is working in a far-away land. They create elaborate social media profiles and emails to establish the person’s identity and travel. The person may even spend the night with them in their hotel room.
The victims are often duped into believing they are going to marry the stranger. If the scammer asks for money to fund travel, medical treatment, or a new passport, the victim is usually targeted. Victims receive photos and videos of lavish vacations or romantic dates.
How to avoid being scammed
Romance scams are about anything but love. The fraudster is using charm, desire and genuine emotion to rip off his victim. They won’t go so far as to tell you their real name or contact information. Some men have been convinced to travel to another country to be with their target, only to find out it’s a set up.
Instead, the scammer will try to get the victim to pay using wire transfers, money orders, or gift cards. If you see these scams happening, hang up immediately and report the incident to the authorities. They will act quickly to arrest the fraudster before he gets away with your money.
Avoid new friends for now, and steer clear of attractive strangers. Also, ask the person to send you a photo, but not one of themselves holding you at the computer.
Conclusion
Many people believe romance scams are just one of the most spectacular types of fraud that can be found online today. However, they are not. Romance scams are one of the biggest frauds out there today and many people have fallen victim to it. Do not lose your money to this type of scam.
Are you interested in learning how to protect yourself from a fake online love offer?
In the long run, the goal is to take your time and do your research. But if you are uncertain, it’s best to be on guard. Take a few minutes to scan your online profiles, the photos of the people you’ve met online, and the profiles of people you’ve been chatting with.