Don’t Let Love Cost You:

Spot the Signs of Romance Scams

 
Love may be in the air, but so is fraud. What sets romance scams apart from other scams?

Romance scammers build profiles aiming to target potential vulnerabilities such as the loss of a loved one, divorce, or loneliness.

Be vigilant of potential romance scams to help protect yourself and those you love that may be most vulnerable. 

Here are some ways to help safeguard against romance scammers:

 
Be careful not to overshare online. Scammers actively look for information that could help identify vulnerable targets as well as any details they can use to streamline their scam. Make sure to set your social media to private and avoid giving out any sensitive details about yourself on public forums.  

 
Limit potential exposure. Set up email filters and use spam-blocking programs to avoid answering unknown phone numbers and emails. Scam artists typically send out communications to large groups of potential targets and then focus their attention on anyone who answers.

 
Be open to discussing new interactions with someone you trust. Love can be blinding. Talking it over with someone you trust allows for a different perspective which may help uncover unreasonable requests or potentially abusive behavior.

 
Take note of requests over time. Be wary of relationships that pressure you into making purchases or sending them funds outright. Requests typically start small and escalate over time either in amount or frequency. These requests could add up to thousands of dollars over the course of the scam. Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone.

 
Cut off contact. Immediately stop communicating if you suspect the individual may be a scammer.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.