When finding love online is not only a battlefield, but a scam. How to protect yourself this Valentine's Day.
Love hurts – especially when it's a scam.
As Valentine's Day approaches, people often look to dating online. And while online dating is quite popular, it's important to be on the lookout for romance scams, which have become quite common.
Nearly 70,000 people reported a romance scam in 2022, and reported losses at $1.3 billion, the Federal Trade Commission reported. Romance scams occur when a person takes on a fake online identity to gain a victim's trust in order to ultimately steal from the victim, according to the FBI.
These scams are in every part of the country.
'Sweetheart swindles': Romance scams rake in up to $1B per year
In January, a 36-year-old Florida woman swindled a Holocaust survivor out of $2.8 million after they met on a dating app. Peaches Stergo "repeatedly lied" to the 87-year-old man she was dating and bought a boat, condominium, home in a gated community, numerous cars, and took expensive trips, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
A California man who claimed to be a millionaire, stole $1.5 million from 19 victims, with many of whom he had a romantic relationship. The Department of Justice said Ze’Shawn Stanley Campbell, 35, told his victims he was a successful real estate and cryptocurrency investor and was a Navy SEAL who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
While online dating apps are popular with romance scammers, the FTC reports that scams can start with unexpected private messages in social media apps, too. At least 40% of people who lost money in a romance scam reported being contacted on social media, with 19% reporting they were contacted on a website or app.
What are the signs of a romance scammer? What to watch out for.
- Romance scammers will lie about not being able to meet in person, because they're in the military, working internationally, have a job on an oil rig or traveling, according to the FTC.
- They will ask for money, and tell you how to pay, whether it be through a wire, gift card, money transfer app or cryptocurrency. So, if the new love interest asks for money, it's probably a scam.
- If they ask you to receive a package, it's a scam.
- If they try to isolate you from friends and family, or request inappropriate photos or financial information, they may try to extort you, the FBI says.
- If they ask you to leave a dating service to communicate on social media, it's a red flag.
The FBI recommends asking a lot of questions to make sure the person you are communicating with is legitimate, and to research their photo and profile using their image, name or any other details you may have.
Where can I report a romance scam?
- Federal Trade Commission - https://reportfraud.ftc.gov
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center - https://www.ic3.gov/
- Your local police department
Amritpal Kaur Sandhu-Longoria is the consumer watchdog investigative reporter on Paste BN’s Money team. Send her your tips at asandhulongoria@usatoday.com, @AmritpalKSL, or on Signal at (279) 789-2462.