Don’t fall victim to romance scams this Valentine’s Day, FBI warns. What to watch for
As hopeful romantics turn to online dating apps this Valentine’s Day, scammers are scouring the sites for their next victims, the FBI warns.
Those looking for love online should be careful of romance scams ahead of the Feb. 14 holiday, the FBI office in Richmond, Virginia, said in a news release.
“Well-rehearsed criminals search dating sites, apps, chat rooms, and other social media networking sites attempting to build ‘relationships’ for the sole purpose of getting your money or your personally identifiable information,” the agency said.
It’s best to only use “reputable, nationally-recognized” dating sites, although it’s likely that fraudsters are using them, too, the FBI warns. Users should never provide their personal or financial information, including requests from a potential suitor to use their personal bank account to transfer money.
The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning about a similar romance scam that tricks victims into laundering stolen economic stimulus payments from the federal government. The consumer watchdog group said the gimmick typically begins with “seemingly harmless” requests from the scammer to receive money on their behalf and wire it overseas.
“It turns out that the money they want you to receive is actually stolen CARES Act funds,” according to the BBB. “After stealing it, scammers send the money through someone in the United States to make it harder for authorities to trace.”
The scammer may suddenly delete his or her dating profile once the conversation moves offline and become hostile or distant if you refuse to carry out the request, the watchdog group says.
“Money laundering and wire fraud are illegal,” the BBB says. “Although the ‘money mule’ is a victim, too, they may still face prosecution.”
Several scams have been reported in the United States so far in 2021, according to the BBB Scam Tracker. One victim out of Virginia reportedly lost $2,000.
“I was scammed into providing one of my credit card numbers and bank account information from this fake person,” according to a complaint posted online. “They tried to open new accounts in my name, but thankfully were unsuccessful. ... They also tricked me into a brief friendship and relationship.”
The FBI also warns that Mr. Right or Ms. Right may peddle sob stories “of severe life circumstances, tragedies, family deaths, injuries or other hardships geared at keeping your interest and concern.”
Don’t believe them.
To avoid being scammed, the FBI and the BBB say users should do their research by searching for the person’s name and profile on other social media and dating websites. A reverse image search lookup on Google Images will also show if the photos used on a person’s dating profile have been stolen from somewhere else, according to the BBB.
It’s always best to meet in a public place if you make plans to hang out in-person, and if you’re traveling overseas to meet someone, provide family and friends with your itinerary, the FBI in Richmond says.
Those who believe they’re a victim of a romance scam can file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center and contact local law enforcement.
This story was originally published February 8, 2021 at 10:35 AM with the headline "Don’t fall victim to romance scams this Valentine’s Day, FBI warns. What to watch for."