Romance Scams are Heating Up

In a confidence/romance scam, victims are lured into thinking they are in a relationship with a friend or romantic partner, then are tricked into sending money, financial information, or personal information to the criminal. They may also be deceived into laundering money.

Romance scammers tell all sorts of lies to steal your heart and money, and reports to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) show those lies are working. In 2022, most recent published data, nearly 70,000 people reported a romance scam, and reported losses hit a staggering $1.3 billion. The median reported loss: $4,400.

Most romance scammers tell you they’re sick, hurt, or in jail – or give you another fake reason to send them money. But did you know that many romance scammers operate by offering to do you a favor? They may claim to be a successful cryptocurrency investor who’ll teach you how it’s done. But any money you “invest” goes straight into their wallet. In another twist, they might say they’ve shipped you a valuable package (not true), which requires you to send money for “customs” or some other made-up fee. It’s all a lie. You send the money, and the package never turns up.

How can you spot a romance scammer in the act?

• Nobody that is legitimate will ever ask you to help—or insist that you invest— by sending cryptocurrency, giving the numbers on a gift card, or by wiring money. Anyone who does is a scammer.
• If someone tells you to send money to receive a package, you can bet it’s a scam.
• Talk to friends or family about a new love interest and pay attention if they’re concerned for you.
• Try a reverse image search of profile pictures. If the details don’t match , it’s a scam.

Here’s the bottom line: Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven’t met in person.

If you suspect a romance scam:

• Stop communicating with the person immediately.
• Talk to someone you trust. Do your friends or family say they’re concerned about your new love interest?
• Search online for the type of job the person has and the word “scammer.” Have other people posted similar stories? For example, search for “oil rig scammer” or “US Army scammer.”
• Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture. Is it associated with another name or with details that don’t match up? Those are signs of a scam.

Help stop scammers by reporting suspicious profiles or messages to the dating app or social media platform you use. Then, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If someone is trying to extort you, report it to the FBI. Learn more at ftc.gov/romancescams.

Information gathered from the Federal Trade Commission.