Romance Scams Cost Billions
Romance scams cost victims over $1.14 billion in 2023, with scammers using emotional manipulation and fake investments [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcNORAaR_Oc]. What are the red flags?
Scammers often profess love quickly, creating a false sense of urgency and an instant emotional connection. They may message constantly and talk about the future after only a few conversations. Be wary of requests to move conversations off dating apps to private messaging or texting. Scammers often claim they can't meet in person because they live far away, are working overseas, or are deployed in the military. Excuses for not video chatting are also common. Any request for financial assistance, no matter how compelling the story, is a major red flag. Scammers frequently request payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers because these are hard to recover. They may create emotional urgency with stories like medical emergencies or travel problems.
