Broken Hearts and Empty Wallets

While dating apps and social media make finding love easier than ever, these platforms also make it easier for grifters to connect with unsuspecting targets. Here’s how you can spot and avoid romance scams.

How Romance Scams Work

Con artists rely on fake profiles and fabricated stories to deceive their victims. These fraudsters might spend weeks or even months forming an emotional bond with their targets. Once trust is established, they exploit it by asking for money to cover phony emergencies, such as an unexpected medical expense or overdue rent. After obtaining the funds, the scammers disappear, leaving their victims emotionally and financially devastated.

Romance Scam Warning Signs

Stay alert to these common romance scam red flags.

• Avoidance of in-person meetings. Scammers often falsely claim to live out of the country to avoid offline interactions.
• Expressing intense emotions early. They might say “I love you” or “I’ve never felt like this before” after only a few days.
• Conversations that tend to turn to money. Crooks will introduce the topic either to share a phony investment opportunity or to plead for financial help.
• Inconsistent details about job, family, or location. Contradictions in their stories could signal dishonesty.

These crooks are masters of manipulation. However, understanding their tactics can help safeguard your heart and your wallet.

How to Avoid a Romance Scam

Protect yourself with these preventive measures:

• Research your match: Conduct reverse image searches of profile pictures to see if they appear elsewhere online. A name and picture mismatch could mean you’re dealing with a scammer.
• Use Strong Passwords: Ensure that your online accounts are protected with strong, unique passwords. Consider using a password manager to keep track of them easily.
• Stay on the platform: Dating websites and apps often have safety features to help protect you from bad actors. Asking you to leave the platform could mean they are trying to bypass those safety features.
• Protect personal and financial data: Scammers can use your information to commit identity theft or to access your accounts.

If you believe a romance scammer is targeting you, immediately cease communication. Tell someone you trust about the situation and report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission. For more security tips or to report fraud related to your Wescom account, visit the Wescom Security Center at wescom.org/security-center.