Beatrice, who lost her husband, turned to online dating sites for seniors during the coronavirus pandemic. They hit it off immediately and fell madly in love with what appeared to be a 66-year-old Spanish lumberjack who looked eerily similar to her husband.
“I missed him not being here to talk to me about what’s going on in the world and everything else,” Beatriz, who asked that her real name not be used, told Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). . “So someone suggested we go online with a dating service…and a picture of this guy popped up. He’s not, you know, George Clooney, he’s not gorgeous. But he actually looked like my husband.”
The man spent about four months emailing and calling the woman until he felt he had earned her trust, and then he began asking her to wire money.
Beatrice is not alone. According to the Federal Trade Commission, HSI reports that more than 70,000 people fell victim to romance scams in 2022, in which scammers assume false identities and defraud smitten suitors of their savings.
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According to the Federal Trade Commission, approximately 70,000 people fell victim to romance scams in 2022. (Kurt “Cyber Guy” Knutson)
Meanwhile, fewer couples are meeting through friends or in person, with at least 40% now meeting online, according to a Stanford University study.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), seniors reportedly lost $240 million to romance scams in 2022, although all age groups are susceptible to these types of scams.
“Advising parents about romance scams can be especially difficult for adult children,” data privacy expert Marva Baylor told Fox News Digital. “Parents often get so caught up in online relationships that they mistake flattery and emotional connection for genuine love. You may start by sending money.
“As trust builds, these seemingly innocuous behaviors can escalate, leaving them vulnerable to significant financial loss without realizing it. Children learn the subtleties of respecting autonomy. This emotional tangle complicates the conversation as they try to maintain a balance and protect their parents.” ”
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Adults looking for love “may start by sending small amounts of money, believing they are helping their partner in need,” one expert warned.
U.S. authorities sometimes track these scammers to West African countries like Ghana, but wire transfers from other countries will grow from $500 million in 2010 to 2023, according to World Bank data. In 2017, it increased to $4.6 billion. However, these scammers can appear from anywhere and are notoriously difficult to track down once discovered.
Fox News Digital asked experts about the common warning signs of these romance scams and how you can protect yourself and your loved ones.
“While the tactics employed by romance scammers may change over time, their core strategy remains rooted in social engineering to manipulate and influence people to gain their trust.” Baylor said. “It is human nature to seek connection and trust, and scammers exploit this relentlessly.”
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The homepage of the iPhone matching app “Tinder”. (CyberGuy.com)
1. Be aware of common romance scam warning signs in online relationships.
According to the FBI and Federal Trade Commission, the following are common warning signs:
- Individual claims to live, work, or travel abroad
- Despite claiming to be fluent in English, the person uses inappropriate grammar
- The suitor claims to be significantly younger than you
- This person has a poor online presence, often claims to be new to online dating and doesn’t have many photos of themselves to share.
- Individuals submit generic photos showing their luxurious lifestyles, often generated by AI.
- Individuals request or send explicit photos or videos
- Suitors talk about meeting soon, but always come up with excuses not to meet. Often at the last moment.
- When an individual accepts a video call, it may be difficult to see their face clearly
- The individual wants to move the conversation from the dating platform to a service like WhatsApp or Telegram.
- That person will immediately confess their love for you or drop a “love bomb” on you.
- Suitors may ask if you have invested in online cryptocurrencies or foreign markets, or send links to cryptocurrency or foreign market trading platforms.
- Suitors become combative or evasive when questioned about their credibility
- The person has a backstory that seems implausible or contradictory.
2. Limit what you reveal about yourself on dating sites and social media, and be suspicious of unsolicited messages and phone calls
“Thanks to the vast amount of data we share online, hackers know too much about us,” Zarik Megerdisyan, a pioneer of biometric technology Loop8, told FOX News Digital. “Malicious actors could use our information to gain our trust and deceive us,” he said. Further disclosure is required, including financial information. ”
When signing up for an online dating site, consider using a different email address and also consider making your profile anonymous with a fake username.
Romance scammers often use dating sites and apps, but are increasingly turning to social media to find their targets, DHS said. Scammers use fake profiles to start conversations and start building relationships. Once they gain the trust of social media users, they fabricate stories, ask for money, and disappear once the transaction is complete.
Tinder first launched in 2012 and has since become a popular way to meet new people. (Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)
Beware of scammers posing as government employees trying to steal your cash
Never send dangerous photos of yourself to anyone online, even if you think you know them personally. Those photos may later be used as blackmail.
Be suspicious of unsolicited emails, messages, texts, and phone calls.
3. Approach online relationships slowly and set up phone or video calls early in the relationship
Before you commit to a relationship with someone you meet online, ask to speak on the phone or video chat.
“If you agree, check for strange effects such as unnatural facial expressions or hair that doesn’t look real, as these could be signs of a deepfake,” DHS wrote on its website. There is.
4. Take a Peek Yourself – Reverse Image Search for Photos
Google Images lets you see if the photos you use on your social media or dating profiles appear elsewhere on the internet. “Cat fishers” often use photos of other individuals to lure victims.
Right click on the image and[コピー]Click to paste the image into images.google.com. Google can also help determine whether AI was used to enhance an image.
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5. Never give money to someone you’ve never met, especially online
Psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert told Fox News Digital that romance scammers take advantage of their victims’ good intentions.
“From a psychological perspective, emotional vulnerability is a big factor in this problem. [elderly or vulnerable] “People may feel lonely, isolated and empty, making them more likely to fall for such scams. , are often exploited by perpetrators to get the attention they desire,” he said.
No matter how touched you are by your online lover’s difficult situation, no matter what they need the money for, never send money to someone you’ve only met online or talked to over the phone. please.
Instead, refer them to emergency services, a family member, or a nonprofit organization.
