Romance Scams: The Expensive Heartbreaker

Sirisha

Updated: June 8, 2023

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You’re on a dating app. After swiping multiple times to find your perfect match, you finally stumbled upon a person straight out of a fairytale. You told yourself you finally found ‘the one.’

The only problem with this fairytale? It’s a scam.

Online dating scams have been on the rise. Reports to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) show that nearly 70,000 people reported a romance scam in 2022 and lost $1.3 billion. 

Romance scammers will do everything to steal your heart and money. But there are ways to spot sketchy signs to help you avoid getting caught in the scammer’s trap.

Read on to learn more about romance scams and how to avoid them.

What is Romance Scam?

Romance scams happen when a cybercriminal creates a false online persona to win the target victim’s love and trust. The con artist then manipulates the victim to send them money. 

These criminals are often found on dating and social media sites. They establish relationships fast in order to take the victim’s hard-earned money.

Read on to know whether you’re getting targeted in a romance scam and learn tips to pull out of your sleeve when a scammer is targeting you. 

Types of Romance Scams

A scammer can get inside your heart and wallet in multiple ways. They usually do this by finding what appeals to you through the information you give them.

Here are some of the types of romance scams you should watch out for:

1. Catfishing

Catfishing is the term used to describe a fake persona on a dating app. These profiles use photos from attractive people as their profile pictures to lure victims into talking to them. It is estimated that about 10% of dating profiles are fake.

On one episode of the TV show Catfish, one woman got scammed into giving money to someone she thought she was “in a relationship” with. But it turns out the person in the picture was the sister of the catfish, who didn’t know anything about the scam.

It is important to be suspicious when the person you’re talking to asks you to send them money. This could indicate that they’re only interested in your money. 

2. Inheritance Scam

In inheritance romance scams, con artists convince the victim they developed a romantic relationship with that they will inherit a huge inheritance. 

In some cases, fraudsters would convince the victim that they must pay unexpected expenses or need help moving funds for a business deal to receive the inheritance.

This type of scam often sets up victims to become money mules. A 2019 BBB report shows that at least 30% of the victims become money mules, where victims become middle-man in receiving money and transferring them to the scammers.

The victim helps the scammer in good faith and under the promise that they will get reimbursed but never actually receive anything back. 

Being vigilant and questioning everything your potential lover asks you to do online is important. Scammers can be very convincing, and it’s up to you to believe them. 

3. Sextortion

It’s not uncommon for people to use dating apps for a quick sexual reprieve. Scammers engage in intimate activities with the victim and record the call. They will also ask for NSFW photos and videos, promising to send theirs after.

However, this is not real. Scammers would not send anything back and would blackmail the victim by threatening to leak the sensitive content if they didn’t pay a ransom. 

Many people fall victim to this kind of romance scam because scammers can be very convincing. They can make the victim believe they are in love with them, but they’re only after their money. 

4. Military Romance Scams

In this type of romance scam, scammers would tell you that they live or work abroad or in a military stationed abroad. These are great excuses not to meet in person or instill trust because of their reputation.

Once you get hooked, the scammer will ask for money to pay for things and promises to pay you back after they resolve their banking issues. But then, they will never repay you and would most likely disappear and delete their accounts.

This is one of the most rampant types of romance scams, and often people walk away from this with a broken heart and bank account. 

Tips to Avoid Romance Scams

People don’t like getting deceived, especially in love and money. No matter how hopelessly romantic we get, we have to be vigilant to whom we give our trust and confidence.

Here are some tips to avoid romance scams:

• Think twice before posting something online, especially when making it public. Scammers can better understand and target you by using the information you publish on social media and dating websites.

• Take your time getting to know someone, and be wary when someone seems too perfect or projects a future with them. These are some things a scammer will do to make you trust and fall for them.

• Be careful when someone asks you too soon to leave the dating service to communicate directly. 

• Refuse to be isolated from your friends and family members. This move is typical to make you dependent on the person alone.

• Beware when someone asks for indecent pictures or inquires about your financial situation and information. These moves are common tactics con artists use to gain your trust and heart while extorting money.

• If the person says they will meet you in person but constantly finds a reason not to or always have an excuse not to do a video call, beware. It is suspicious when you have been talking to this person for months but wouldn’t have time to meet you or have seen their face through video call.

• Check the person’s profile and photo using online searches to check if the image, name, or other details have already been used elsewhere. 

Knowing who you’re talking with should be your top priority. Verifying their identity before doing something intimate for them can help protect them from being scammed.

Search engines like Social Catfish can help confirm someone’s identity through a reverse image search. 

You just need to upload the image of the person you are talking to, and Social Catfish will look through public records. The results can include their social media accounts, dating websites, and public information.

Here’s how to use Social Catfish:

Step 1: Enter ‘socialcatfish.com‘ in your address bar.

Step 2: Click the ‘Image’ option. Upload the picture and hit ‘Search.’

Step 3: Wait for the site to scan the image. This might take a few minutes.

Step 4: Click ‘Yes, I understand’ to get the report.

Step 5: After filling in your Paypal or credit card payment details, you will get the full report. Click ‘Unlock Result Now’ after completing, and you will be directed to the full report.

This service has a three-day trial period for $6.87 and a monthly payment of $28.97–unlimited image searches. 

Reverse image searches help determine someone’s true identity without meeting them. This move is one of the best ways to protect yourself online.

Reporting Romance Scams

These scammers will only stop or decline in numbers if we take action against them.

Here’s what you can do to help report a romance scam:

1. Report suspicious accounts or messages to the dating site.

2. Inform the FTC.

Step 1: Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Then, click “Report Now.”

Step 2: You will be directed to a page where you need to fill in your details.

Step 3: Hit the “Submit” button after answering the questions.

3. Report it to the FBI if someone is trying to extort you.

Step 1: Go to https://www.ic3.gov/Home/FileComplaint.

Step 2: Read the terms of filing a Complaint. After, click ‘I Accept.’

Step 3: Supply the details required from Steps 1-6.

Step 4: After filling in the details, hit the ‘Submit Complaint.’

Stop the communication immediately if you are in a scam relationship or have successfully tracked down a scammer. The next best step is to immediately report it to the authorities to stop them from finding another victim.

Bottom Line

Some of us resort to online dating apps to quench our thirst for intimacy. While some found their significant others online, sadly, some hide behind a mask. They are waiting to take advantage of our lonely hearts to their benefit, leaving us with broken hearts and trust. 

Remember to be vigilant when talking to a potential partner and criticize every action they make until you’ve proven their intentions are clear.