Romance Scams Warning Signs

Millions of people use dating apps to find love. Criminals use dating apps too. They use dating apps to cheat people out of their money.  According to Social Catfish, an online dating investigation service, scammers use tactics to win your confidence before taking advantage of you and your money.  These scams cost Americans $547 million. Victims may also be used as money mules where they are asked to deposit money into other accounts. Besides the financial damage, victims are left to deal with emotional damage such as embarrassment, shame and depression. 

Here is a list of 9 tactics that scammers commonly use:

1. They claim to live in another country for business or a military deployment
2. Watch for perfect pictures. Scammers steal pictures from online influencers.  Check out Social Catfish’s list of the top 100 photos used for catfishing.
3. Pay attention to their height they listed on their profile. Often a scammer’s height will not fit their picture and be extremely short such as 3’.
4. They ask you to move to another app to continue to talk.  This is to reduce their chance of being reported and being kicked out of the dating app. Don’t download an app to communicate.
5. A common red flag is when they shower you with compliments, excessive affection and even declares their love for you. The relationship moves faster than normal. The scammer wants to gain your trust and affection.
6. The scammer’s goal is to get you to send them money. They will pull on your heartstrings to do it.  Be aware when they tell you a sad story about their life and they have no one else to help. A scammer portrays themselves as a victim to divorce, illness or a death close to them.
7. Something always comes up when a meeting is planned. This is usually when you get an urgent request for money.  They promise to repay you, but they will continue to ask for more.
8. Watch for poor grammar, misspelled words, or incorrect use of words. These are signs the person’s language is not English.
9. They ask you for money. They will tell you how to send it in a way it is hard for you to get it back. According to Federal Trade Commission they will ask you to wire money through a company like Western Union or MoneyGram, put money on gift cards like Amazon Google Play, iTunes, or Steam and give them PIN codes, send money through a money transfer app or transfer cryptocurrency.

How to avoid being scammed out of money

1. Cut off contact immediately if you suspect that the person you are talking to may be a scammer! Report the profile to the dating app or social media platform.2
2. Tell your friends and family about your love interest. They might be able to see the red flags.
3. Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture. If it is associated with another name, it’s a sign of a scammer.
4. Never send money to someone you haven’t met.
5. Ask to video chat. If they decline, it may be because they are not who they pretend to be.
6. Don’t send compromising pictures. Scammers use these pictures to blackmail you to send them money.
7. Don’t accept money from someone you haven’t met

Dating apps can be a great way to meet someone for a lasting relationship. Falling in love is great! Keep these romance scam warnings in the forefront of your mind when using dating apps and social media to meet someone! Stay safe!