How to Spot and Stop Romance Scams

1. Catfishing

Among the most prominent dating site scams is catfishing, where the perpetrator fabricates an online persona on social media that they can use to establish a cozy relationship with a target in an attempt to obtain personal information or money.

Due to the fact that many people were looking for methods to interact with others and scammers had valid reasons for not being able to meet in public, the pandemic created the perfect environment for catfish scams to flourish.

2. Romance Scammers Seeking Money

Most of the time, romance scammers who demand money operate on online dating platforms where the majority of users are seeking committed relationships. They want information that they can use to commit financial fraud or they want you to send them money or gift cards.

They will entice you to give them money so you can develop your relationship. For instance, they want money for a new phone so they can easily video chat with you. Give them what they want in exchange for “proof of your true love,” or else they will trick you into believing that you do not genuinely value them.

3. Phishing

Identity thieves use dating apps as a part of a long-term con that can even affect victims offline. They may ask you to divulge personal information, including your address, family members’ names, and place of employment through a fake account.

Some of these questions may seem typical for a dating situation, so proceed with extreme caution. With just a few pieces of sensitive information, scammers can empty your bank account, take out loans, and open credit cards in your name.

4. Cryptocurrency Investment Scams

This is one of the more modern—and dangerous—online dating scams. Here, the perpetrators develop a long-term relationship with their victims. As they get to know each other, the scammer will begin discussing their interests in cryptocurrencies. At some point, they will offer to help the victim “guide” their own financial decisions.

They will then coerce the victim into opening and funding a genuine cryptocurrency account. The victim will then be given a link to a “special” cryptocurrency exchange to transfer their Ethereum or Bitcoin into. The victim will then be prompted to invest more money after seeing the high returns on this exchange.

However, if they attempt to take any of their “earnings” out, they will be forced to pay a hefty tax bill, at which point the website will close and their money will be gone.

5. Sextortion

A lot of people use dating sites in the hopes of finding a brief sexual relationship. These dating app scams involve the scammer requesting private images and videos with the assurance that they will send their own in exchange. Upon sending them, though, they will demand a ransom in order to keep them from being leaked to your acquaintances and relatives.

Since these scammers can locate your name through your digital footprint, it’s a good idea to always assume that anything you send to someone online could be shared with your friends, family, and coworkers.

Nowadays, it is important to understand the different kinds of online dating scams.

6. Sugar Daddy Scam

A scammer will pretend to be a wealthy person in this kind of romance scam, offering a younger victim money in exchange for their online company. When they have earned your trust, they will not send your allowance until they have received an upfront payment or personal data. The messages you might get may be misspelled, sound like a sales pitch offering a lot of value for very little money, and make excessive use of emojis.

They will then make a hasty attempt to transfer the discussion to a messaging app that offers greater security, such as Telegram, Signal, or WhatsApp. Because these platforms use end-to-end encryption, it is more difficult to track down the messages.

7. Fake Online Dating Sites

Some scammers attempt to trick victims into signing up for fraudulent online dating sites. While these phony websites and apps promise easy access to hookups or the “ideal match,” they are actually just full of fake accounts and bots.

In order to register, you frequently have to pay a fee and submit personal information, including pictures of your ID for verification, which can be exploited in identity theft. Furthermore, a few phony dating websites are infected with malware that can harm your devices. They can hijack your camera, get access to your bank account information, or even lock you out of your device until you pay a “ransom.”

8. Military Romance Scams

The scammer will pretend to be a military member who has most likely been deployed. They use military titles and jargon to establish credibility before requesting money for things like return airfare.

They will say that they are abroad and are having banking problems, and will promise to reimburse you. After all, they are successful and reliable, so you “don’t need to think much.” However, you will never get your money back. If you probe them too much, they will vanish and have their accounts deleted.

9. Money Mule Scams

Throughout the duration of your purported “connection,” these scammers will transfer funds to you and request that you buy gift cards, virtual currencies, or foreign exchange. They might also request that you open a bank account or send and receive packages.

Even though you might believe you are helping them out, you have turned into a “money mule” and run the risk of facing legal action. Even if it is a favor for a potential lover, never purchase gift cards, cash, or cryptocurrency, and be extremely cautious if someone asks you to.

10. Inheritance Scams

This is a typical email scam that has spread to dating websites and apps. Once the victim trusts them, the scammer—who might be posing as a foreign official, banker, or lawyer—presumes to have a sizable inheritance that is just waiting to be claimed.

After that, the scammer will ask you for money to cover the inheritance claim fee, claiming that they will not only repay you but also give you a share of the substantial amount. Of course, this is all a scam, and after victims send money to them, they frequently never hear from them again.

1. Sudden Request for Personal Details

It should raise red flags right away if you receive a call or message asking for personal information without having had a chance to meet in person or even have some meaningful time to get to know each other through video chat.

Being genuine with someone you meet online is essential, even if it necessitates FaceTime, to build rapport and trust. If your gut tells you something is wrong, request a video call with them, and do not be afraid to question their intentions.

2. Far Too Good to be True

Always be wary of people you meet online, especially if their profiles seem too good to be true. Take note that romance scammer pictures and profile details are very limited. While relating to someone is not always a bad thing, you can’t always be certain that this is not one of the ways that many online scammers are trying to trick you.

If someone is persistently pressuring you to share details about your hobbies or personal experiences, try to keep an eye out. To control or manipulate their intended victim more easily, a catfisher would prefer to build an immediate connection with them.

3. Your Relationship is Moving Too Fast

Do they put you under pressure and arrange plans with you? Are they already imagining what life will be like when you two move in together? Take these into consideration as warning signs, particularly if you’ve only spoken in a month or two.

They might eventually ask for more personal information, try to trick you into sending them nude photos, or convince you to invest in stocks or cryptocurrency. Before you know it, they have blocked you or are using blackmail tactics like demanding a large sum of money to keep your private files away from being leaked.

4. Their Stories Don’t Match Up

Keep track of the stories they tell you. Even with carefully constructed lies, catfishers can make mistakes. For instance, they may claim to be in a particular profession, but their responses are consistently too ambiguous when you question them about it.

A promise to visit is one way to prevent you from getting suspicious. They may even ask you to pay for plane tickets or other travel expenses. But they will abruptly cancel, giving a long-winded explanation for why they can’t see you.

This serves as a friendly reminder to keep asking questions so you can find out if the person you are speaking with is who they say they are or if they are a scammer.

5. Certain Payment Methods Are Requested

Be wary if your online partner requests that you send them money using a particular payment method. When providing you with instructions, they can even get extremely specific.

Do they request that you transfer funds using a wire transfer or a recently opened bank account that is under your name? Given that these are ways to take money quickly and anonymously, that should raise serious concerns.

It would also be difficult to reverse the transactions. They may even ask for more money after you send a small amount. They might become aggressive and desperate in their messages or try to blackmail you if you refuse.