Online Dating Scams
Online dating can be a great way to find your perfect match, but not everyone you meet online is who they claim to be. Some people use dating sites and apps to scam unsuspecting victims out of their money, personal information, or even their identity. These scammers are called romance scammers, and they can cause a lot of harm and heartbreak.
Romance scammers create fake profiles using stolen photos and identities. They pretend to be interested in you and try to build a relationship with you. They often say they live or work abroad, which makes it hard to meet in person. They also have various reasons for why they need your financial help, such as:
- Paying for medical expenses for themselves or a family member
- Buying a plane ticket or visa to visit you
- Paying fees to get out of trouble or access their funds
- Investing in cryptocurrency or other lucrative opportunities
Romance scammers will pressure you to send money quickly and discreetly, using methods that are hard to trace or reverse, such as:
- Wire transfers through companies like Western Union or MoneyGram
- Gift cards from Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, or Steam
- Money transfer apps like Cash App, Venmo, or Zelle
- Cryptocurrency wallets like Bitcoin or Ethereum
Romance scammers will also try to get enough personal information from you to steal your identity or blackmail you with compromising photos or videos. They may ask you to send them intimate pictures or videos of yourself, or share your passwords, bank account details, or social security number.
If you think you are being scammed by someone you met online, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to protect yourself and report the scammer. Here’s what you should do:
- Stop communicating with the person immediately. Block their phone number, email address, and social media accounts. Don’t answer their calls, texts, or messages.
- Talk to someone you trust. Tell a friend, family member, or counselor what happened. They can offer you support and advice.
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC collects information about scams and helps law enforcement agencies investigate and prosecute them. You can also call the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).
- Report the scam to the dating site or app where you met the scammer. Most dating platforms have policies and procedures to deal with fake profiles and scammers. They can remove the scammer’s profile and warn other users about them.
- Report the scam to your local police department. If you have lost money or personal information to a romance scammer, you should file a police report. The police can help you recover your losses and protect your identity.
- Report the scam to other organizations that can help you. Depending on how the scammer contacted you and what method they used to get your money or information, you may want to report the scam to other agencies as well.
For example:
- If the scammer used a wire transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram, contact the company and ask them to stop the transaction if possible. You can also report the fraud to them online or by phone.
- If the scammer used gift cards, contact the company that issued the cards and ask them to freeze the balance if possible. You can also report the fraud to them online or by phone.
- If the scammer used a money transfer app like Cash App, Venmo, or Zelle, contact the app’s customer service and ask them to reverse the transaction if possible. You can also report the fraud to them online or by phone.
- If the scammer used cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or Ethereum, contact your cryptocurrency wallet provider and ask them to freeze your account if possible. You can also report the fraud to them online or by phone.
- If the scammer used your bank account information, contact your bank and ask them to freeze your account if possible. You can also report the fraud to them online or by phone.
- If the scammer used your credit card information, contact your credit card company and ask them to cancel your card if possible. You can also report the fraud to them online or by phone.
- If the scammer used your social security number, contact the Social Security Administration and ask them to put a fraud alert on your record. You can also report the fraud to them online or by phone.
- If the scammer used your driver’s license number, contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles and ask them to put a fraud alert on your record. You can also report the fraud to them online or by phone.
Romance scams are a serious problem that affects millions of people every year. Don’t let yourself be fooled by someone who pretends to love you but only wants your money. Be smart and safe when looking for love online, and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.