By February 10, 2022
Valentine’s Day is a day for enjoying those closest to you. This is also the time of year when romantic scams and fraudulent activity are prevalent, especially during a time of increased online dating and social distancing. A romantic scam is when a person deceives the victim into believing they are engaging in a relationship but instead persuades the victim to send money or purchase items. In 2020, the FBI reported that victims of romance scams, collectively, lost more than $250 million. This can happen to you, or close friends and family, so it is important for you to be aware of these scams.
The FBI has provided a few warning signs that could indicate you’re interacting with a scammer:
- Immediate attempts to communicate by email or messaging services outside of a dating site
- Claims to be from the U.S. but is currently living or traveling abroad
- Reports a sudden personal crisis and pressures you to provide financial help
- Disappears suddenly form a site, but reappears under a different name
- Asks for money or other types of financial assistance without having met in person
Tips you should know to avoid becoming a victim:
- Never send money to someone you meet online, especially by wire transfer, because once the money leaves your account, it can’t be recovered
- Never share your banking information without verifying a person’s identity
- Do not share your Social Security Number with someone who does not need to know the information
Other popular scams that happen during this time of year include people posing as a florist advertising for flower deliveries, as well as fake websites for Valentine’s Day gifts and services that allow scammers to gain access to your computer or mobile device. To avoid these scams, shop at your local businesses and not an advertisement of a company you have never heard of before.
If you think you might be a victim of a romance scam, please contact us or visit your nearest branch to report it as well as filing a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at https://www.ic3.gov/.
The information provided on this blog is for general informational and educational purposes only. All content is written in good faith and is intended to be accurate as of the date of publication. However, laws, regulations, industry standards, and best practices may change over time, and information may become outdated.