How romance scammers break your heart – and your bank account

How romance scammers break your heart – and your bank account

What are some of the most common warning signs that your online crush could be a dating scammer?



We’re living in a fast-paced era, and it’s become increasingly difficult to juggle a career, have a social life, and find love. People are increasingly switching to more convenient means to find a connection, like dating apps and websites such as Tinder, OkCupid, Hinge or Bumble. That, unfortunately, may make them targets for dating scammers, who prey on their eagerness to find love.


The FBI’s 2019 Internet Crime Report states that romance and confidence fraud was the second costliest scam, with losses amounting to almost half a billion US dollars. For example, one unlucky woman was swindled out of US$546,000, while a Canadian man was scammed out of CA$732,000, with many victims losing their entire life savings or even going deep into debt.


As the search for romantic bliss usually intensifies around Valentine’s Day, what are some of the telltale signs that your online crush is, in reality, a scammer looking to find a way into your wallet, rather than your heart?


Photos


Scammers tend to use stock images of models, who may be styled to sell a specific product. Photos of them posing with beverages and electronics may feel staged and unnatural because indeed they are. If you already suspect something, request a family photo – they will have a hard time producing one since the model they’re im ..

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