“Ah ah ah ah ah. Roma, Roma people.
Gaga, oh la la. Want your bad romance. “
If you find yourself addicted to online love this Valentine’s Day, the Federal Trade Commission (yes, the FTC) has tips on how to tell if you might be falling into an online romance trap. “bad Romance. ”
In 2022, Consumer Sentinel Network received Nearly 70,000 love scams reported, causing staggering economic losses US$1.3 billion.
Many people who report losing money say the contact started from the website or app.But the more common method is – based on to 40% Reporting – is done through social media platforms and is usually an unexpected message. You know, one of those “Hi there,” “Liked your post,” or “You’re cute!” comments from an attractive stranger.
From there, romance scammers may suggest moving to WhatsApp, Google Chat, Telegram, etc. That’s their favorite trick: subtly teasing out a target’s likes and dislikes and then mirroring them back to create seemingly instant content. connect. Are you a football fan? So do they! Is poetry your thing? Oh my gosh, let me count the ways! But when they meet in real life, they have “a million reasons” to avoid face-to-face. According to Data Focus, their excuses often blend into their false identities—for example, they live on the other side of the world and can’t leave the country.
One thing romance liars have in common is lying with a “poker face” – you know it’s going to happen.Data Spotlight lists favorites “Game of Love” Reported lies of romance scammers:
So what’s in it for them? money. Once they connect, the sad story begins. They’ll tell you they’re injured, sick, or in jail, when all they need to spark a romance in real life is cash to pay for hospital bills, bail, or some other disaster.Or they may offer to do something to turn the situation around you A favor. ” For example, they may claim to be a large cryptocurrency investor who can share inside knowledge with you. Or they may say they want to send you an expensive gift. All you have to do is send someone a “customs fee” in advance.
The way a romance scammer asks for money is another important part of the story.Cryptocurrency and bank wire accounts, according to Data Spotlight For more than 60% Reports say romance scams cost a lot of money in 2022. The gift card is there, 24% of people People who report losing money say this is the method.
But romance scammers have an even more insidious way of creating a payday for themselves – it’s called sextortion. Scammers reportedly convince their targets to share explicit photos and then threaten to share those photos with social media contacts unless the person pays.There are reports of sextortion It has increased more than eight-fold since 2019, with 18 to 29-year-olds reporting the problem more than six times more often than those aged over 30. About 58% in 2022 Sextortion reports list social media as a method of contact, with Instagram and Snapchat at the top of the list.
The Federal Trade Commission apologizes to Lady Gaga and offers advice on how to spot romance scams.
“I turned on the flash, it’s real. Need that picture of you.” If the person you’re talking to online has a profile photo, try a reverse image search. If the details don’t match up, they don’t end well. Also, this should go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: Don’t send explicit photos to your online crush. period. End of sentence. The relationship ends.
“You know I appreciate beautiful things.” Once your online love affair turns to finance, stop it. No legitimate person will ask you to help by sending cryptocurrency, making a wire transfer, or providing a number on a gift card – or insisting that you invest. If the conversation turns to “money honey,” that’s your cue to act quickly.
“That’s not love. It’s a perfect illusion.” The beginning of a romance can make anyone go a little crazy.If you are interested, tell someone you trusteContact someone online and pay attention to any questions they have. Do the same for your friends. If you suspect they are deceiving a scammer, the Federal Trade Commission has resources you can share.
What can you do to help stop romance scams? Report suspicious profiles or messages to dating apps or social media platforms. Then notify the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If someone is trying to blackmail you, contact the FBI.