Romance scams usually occur on dating sites, but scammers often use social media or email to make contact.
What are the warning signs?
- Someone you have recently met online expresses strong feelings for you and asks to speak privately.
- Their messages are often poorly written and confusing.
- Their online profile does not match what they tell you.
- They may ask you to send intimate photos or videos of yourself.
- They first try to gain your trust, sometimes waiting for weeks or months. Then they tell you an elaborate story and ask for money, gifts, or your bank account or credit card details.
- If you do not send money, they may try to blackmail you. If you send money, they will ask for more.
- They always have an excuse for their webcam not working, for not being able to meet you, and they always need more money.
What Can You Do?
- Be very careful about the amount of personal information you share on social media and dating sites.
- Always consider the risks. Scammers are present even on the most reputable sites.
- Act wisely and ask probing questions.
- Research the person’s photo and profile to see if it has been used elsewhere.
- Be alert for spelling and grammatical errors, inconsistencies in their stories, and excuses such as their camera never working.
- Do not share personal images, videos, or any compromising material that scammers could later use to blackmail you.
- If you agree to meet in person, tell your family and friends where you are going.
- Beware of requests for money. Never send money or provide your credit card details, bank account information, or copies of important personal documents.
- Avoid any arrangement with a stranger who requests an upfront payment via bank transfer, wire transfer, prepaid card, or cryptocurrency. It is very difficult to recover money sent this way.
- Do not transfer money on behalf of another person: money laundering is a criminal offense.
If you are a victim of a romance scam:
- Do not feel ashamed; this scam occurs more often than you might imagine.
- Immediately cease all contact.
- If possible, save all communications (and chat messages) and any evidence that may help identify the scammer.
- File a report with the police.
- Inform the platform where you met the scammer. Provide them with their profile name and any other details that may help them prevent others from being scammed.
- If you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.
Download the infographic with tips to avoid becoming a victim of this fraud.
