Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, making it a good time for an annual reminder to stay alert for romance scams.
With the growth of online dating platforms, social media, and AI-generated content, romance scams are always present. February is a particularly active time, as scammers take advantage of people searching for companionship and connection.
How Romance Scams Work
At their core, romance scams rely on social engineering. Scammers use fake or impersonated identities to build relationships and establish trust over time. This is deliberate psychological manipulation, not carelessness or poor judgment. Once trust is established, scammers exploit it by requesting money through non-traceable methods such as gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers.
These scams can take many forms. An online match may ask for money to purchase a plane ticket to meet in person, claim a personal emergency, or make small and seemingly harmless requests for shopping or daily expenses.
While stories involving Brad Pitt or WWE athlete imposters scamming people out of millions may sound hard to believe, the reality is that these tactics are widespread and effective. According to the FTC, romance scams cost consumers more than $1.14 billion in 2023, with a median loss of $2,000 per victim.
As a result, the FBI continues to raise awareness by sharing five common red flags associated with romance scams.
Five Common Red Flags to Watch For
1. Requests for Money or Financial Assistance
Any request for money, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers from someone you have only communicated with online is a strong indicator of a romance scam, especially when paired with urgency, secrecy, or emotional pressure.
2. Pressure to Move Quickly or Take the Conversation Offline
Scammers often rush emotional connections and push conversations off dating apps or social platforms to avoid monitoring and isolate their targets from friends and family.
3. Inconsistent Stories or Evasive Answers
Details about employment, location, travel, or personal history may change over time, or questions may be avoided altogether when clarification is requested.
4. Avoiding Live Video Calls or Showing Signs of AI Deepfakes
Repeated excuses for avoiding live video calls, reliance on prerecorded videos, or visual and audio irregularities such as unnatural facial movement, lip syncing issues, or poor eye contact may indicate the use of AI-generated images or deepfake technology.
5. Requests for Personal or Sensitive Information
Asking for personal details such as financial information, copies of identification, or login credentials is a clear sign of malicious intent and should end the interaction immediately.
Staying Alert and Reporting a Romance Scam
Staying alert while searching for love means slowing down, being cautious with financial and personal information, and trusting your instincts when something feels off. Just as important, victims of romance scams should never be laughed at or dismissed. These schemes succeed through emotional manipulation, and awareness is one of the most effective ways to reduce harm.
Remember, sharing is caring. During Valentine’s season, consider sharing this article with friends and family. A simple conversation can help someone recognize the warning signs before real damage occurs.
If you think you or somebody you know is involved in a romance scam or scam of any kind, you can file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov.
About Schneider Downs Cybersecurity
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