Summary
Romance scams are becoming more and more frequent and more damaging. Scammers create fake romantic relationships on the internet as a way to establish a certain level of trust with their victims and ask for money/gifts/investments from that person.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This article explains how romance scams work, provides examples of how to recognize them, and also provides detailed examples of how scammers use WhatsApp.
What are romance scams, and why are they growing
In Romance scams, an individual poses as someone else and enters into a fake romantic relationship with the victim (usually via a dating app/social media platform/messaging platform) and eventually demands money/gifts/assistance for moving funds. Illegal organizations are increasingly using emotional manipulation combined with financial schemes (such as cryptocurrency scams), creating much larger losses to the victims than in the past.
How scammers typically operate
- Create polished profiles with stolen photos and personal information. They then try to transfer the discussions to either private messaging, SMS, or WhatsApp.
- Declare deep feelings for the victim very quickly and create an urgent situation (such as needing to pay medical bills, traveling, or legal fees) in order to get them to send money.
- Encourage the victim to use non-traditional payment methods (such as wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrencies).
Romance scams warning signs
- They claim to love you in what appears to be an abnormal amount of time.
- They will find excuses to not meet you in person or are unable to follow through with any plans that you make with them.
- You will probably have several requests for money, particularly through wire transfers, prepaid cards, and cryptocurrency.
- They try to get you to move your conversation off the website and onto WhatsApp or any other form of messaging that is more private.
- There may be inconsistencies in the information they provide (i.e., their story does not match their profile picture and vice versa).
If you see any of the above red flags associated with romance scams, it’s best to cut off contact with these individuals and report their profiles to either the website or the police.
Romance scams WhatsApp — why the app is attractive to scammers
Scammers like to use WhatsApp because it’s private and encrypted, and it is very easy to communicate with people from different countries. If you are communicating with a scammer, they will encourage you to connect using WhatsApp, as this allows them to avoid the moderation that is in place by their Internet Service Provider and also allows them to exchange phone numbers and send you convincing messages or links. Never click on links and do not send any type of personal or financial information via WhatsApp. If you receive a suspicious contact over WhatsApp, please use WhatsApp’s reporting system and make sure to enable two-step verification.
Practical steps if you suspect a romance scam
- Immediately cease all communication with the person who scammed you.
- Screenshots, messages, and transaction records must be preserved.
- Contact a bank or payment provider as soon as possible to freeze any transfer of funds.
- Report the incident to your country’s consumer protection agency (e.g., U.S. Federal Trade Commission) and to the dating app.
- If you did send any money to the scammer, you should reach out to local law enforcement and seek out fraud recovery specialists.
FAQ
Q: How much do people lose to romance scams?
A: According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, romance scams cost people an estimated 1.14 billion dollars in 2023, with tens of thousands of victims. The number of incidents is believed to be much higher than what has been reported.
Q: Can romance scam money be recovered?
A: Yes, in some cases, taking action quickly (by contacting banks and filing police reports) will increase the chance of recovering some or all of your funds. There are specialized recovery services, but make sure to check that they are reputable and do not charge upfront fees.
Q: Are older adults more at risk?
A: While seniors are often targeted, all ages may be affected; criminals are using various tactics (such as cryptocurrency) to solicit younger users as well.
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