New romantic endeavors in the digital world are exhilarating and can impel us to throw caution to the wind. Anyone with ears in the year 2010 is familiar with the song “Dumb Love” by Sean Kingston can see a parallel. While Kingston was discussing the naivety of young people figuring out a relationship for the first time, the same type of behavior is displayed by many on online dating platforms.
Our human affinity to be blinded by puppy love opens the door for online scammers to take advantage of our trust. These scammers prey on the vulnerability of individuals who long for a connection enough that they put their trust in somebody they’ve never met. The digital age has only made it easier to manipulate people’s emotions. Romance scams and other cybercrimes can make the internet a scary place, but there are steps you can take to avoid them.
What is a Romance Scam?
A romance scam is a type of fraud where the perpetrator poses as a potential romantic suitor to extort the victims for financial compensation in the form of “gifts”. Romance scams are famous for their use of catfishing techniques to lure potential victims into digital relationships which they then use to coerce and manipulate.
Common Signs of Romance Scams.
It can be difficult for people unfamiliar with these scams to see that they are falling into a trap. These scammers dedicate themselves to creating convincing personas that will lure in their victims, but there are some red flags that can reveal your online crush is not who they claim to be.
- Love Bombing – If somebody you just met has quickly declared their love for you and makes promises of a future together, this may be a sign that they are a romance scammer.
- Quick Coercion – The perpetrator may try to press you early in conversation to divulge personal information or send money. This is commonly done through an elaborate story, such as a medical emergency or wanting to create a shared bank account for their future.
- Missing Connections – In one of the most famous signs that you are in some type of romance scam is the inability of the account in question to connect with you. They’ll famously make excuses of emergencies, poor WiFi, or other technical issues to state why they can’t connect.
- Keeping Things Discrete – Any relationship where your partner wants you to keep things secret from family and friends should be a major red flag. Even if it’s not for scamming purposes, that is not healthy behavior.
- Can’t Keep Their Story Straight – If the person is inconsistent in the information they are revealing to you, such as names and ages not matching the ones on their profiles, this may be an indication of a romance scam.
Types of Romance Scams.
Victims are coming forward with new types of romance scams at a pace that outstrips our ability to name them. Each scam carries its own unique tactics, target demographics, and red flags, making it crucial to stay informed. While some scams follow familiar patterns, others evolve with technology and social trends, making them harder to recognize. Below is a list of the most prevalent romance scams, along with key details to help you identify and avoid them.
- The Oil Rig Romance Scam: This type of romance scam has become so famous that it has appeared as a troupe in different movies and television shows. The oil rig romance scam famously lures in victims with attractive profiles that describe their occupation as an engineer or some other type of contractors that works in an area famous for the oil and gas industry. They’ll use this occupation and the poor connections at sea to help aid in their extortion efforts. To learn more about this scam, read our article “Oil Rig Romance Scams: How To Avoid Losing to Cybercriminals.“
- Celebrity Impersonation Romance Scam: This romance scam capitalizes on the hope many of us have of meeting and falling in love with our celebrity crush. Celebrity Romance Scams capitalize on this desire by creating profiles that impersonate a celebrity. The way that they scams extort is through different offers of investment or need due to public issues.
- Military Romance Scam: This scam is similar to the Oil Rig scam we discussed. A military romance scam creates a persona that states they are an active duty service man or woman. The nature of deployment for military service creates a natural method to extort gifts from victims. For more information on this unique romance scam, read our article “How Do Military Dating Scams Work?“
- Long-Distance Love Scam: In some cases, victims of this romance scam have reported marrying their extorter. Long distance romance scams often involve a victim who is looking for love outside of their home country hoping for a spouse that they can build a life with together in either their home country or their spouses. This enables scammers to extort much more from their victims through access given to their “partners’” accounts.
- Sugar Daddy/Mamma Scams: In this instance the scammer either poses as a wealthy benefactor or an attractive younger individual promising financial support or companionship. Sugar daddy scams usually involve extortion of initial personal detail or potential “fees” that the scammer will collect and disappear with. For more details on the working of sugar daddy scams, read our article “Sugar Daddy Scams: Warning Signs on Instagram, Venmo, and CashApp.“
Have Romance Scams Increased?
Romance Scams are one of the most prevalent forms of online fraud today. In 2021, the FTC reported a total of $547 million lost to romance scams, more than six times greater than in 2017 (1). And just one year later, that annual total more than doubled to $1.3 billion (2). The number of reported scams and losses only continues to grow at an exponential rate, making it more likely to come across them.
How to Avoid Romance Scams.
The numbers listed above can be daunting, but there are steps you can take to avoid becoming part of those statistics. With a few preventative measures, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to these scams.
- Keep Private Information Private – Never give out too much personal information online when communicating with potential romantic partners or anyone online whose identity you can’t confirm. This can also include sharing intimate photos that could be used to sextort you.
- Don’t Leave the Platform – Make sure to use reputable dating sites or applications. Scammers often encourage moving the conversation to text or other external communication services where these secure sites cannot track their next moves. Staying on the dating platform makes you less likely to get scammed.
- Run Background Checks – Romance scammers often use fake photos and stories to gain access to unsuspecting victims. Doing a simple Google search on their name or a reverse image search on their profile picture could save you from the heartache.
How to Deal with a Romance Scammer.
These types of scams can feel never-ending as the perpetrators are often extremely persistent. The best way to deal with one of these criminals is by ending communication as soon as you believe it may be a scam.
Do not share anymore information with them and do not pay them if they begin making extortion threats. If you have already sent money to your scammer, refer to our recovering funds lost to scammers article.
If you have shared information or content with the scammer that could be used to threaten you in an online blackmail situation, we suggest taking an inventory of that information and compile this as evidence.
You should report the romance scammer’s account to the system administrator of the dating or social media platform you are met them on. Additionally, you should file a report to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
What Can Law Enforcement Do?
Once you’ve realized you are in the midst of a cyber scam, you should begin collecting evidence to file a police report. This can include the names, accounts, and any record of conversations of transactions between you. Your local police may be able to help or the report can be referenced when looking to a higher agency for aid.
How the FTC Can Help.
You can make a report of any online scam to the Federal Trade Commission FTC. From there, you will be provided with further information on how you can protect yourself. The FTC will not resolve your individual case, but the report you make will be shared their more than 2,800 law enforcement partners who can help with your investigation and potentially assist you in the recovery of funds from the scammer.
How the FBI Can Help.
The FBI accepts reports of cybercrimes through their International Crime Complaint Center (IC3). From there, they will work to take action and bring the perpetrator to justice. Their site also provides resources to educate yourself and mitigate the risks of cybercrimes. While they don’t guarantee a response to every complaint, they advise reporting all cases as it helps the agency better fulfill their mission.
How to Help Victims Romance Scam.
While there isn’t much you can do if the victim chooses not to see that they are falling for a scam, there are ways you can help. You won’t be able to cut off communication for them, but explaining the signs and pointing them in the direction of resources listed above can be helpful. You can even file a report on their behalf (3). It’s important that a victim takes quick action to ensure the most successful recovery possible.
How Digital Forensics Can Help.
Whether you or some one you know has been the target of a romance scam, Digital Forensics Corp. can provide you with help to take the leverage away from the criminals. Our team of professionals have investigated thousands of cases across various types of cybercrimes.
This experience has allowed us to develop proprietary techniques that enable us to unmask these criminals, revealing their identity and location. With this information, we can help put you in contact with our connection of police precincts all around the globe to bring the scammers to justice no matter where they are located.
There’s no time to waste if you are being scammed. Reach out today to our 24/7 toll-free helpline for a 100% confidential and complimentary consultation with one our experts today.
Sources:
- Reports of romance scams hit record highs in 2021 | Federal Trade Commission
- Romance scammers’ favorite lies exposed | Federal Trade Commission
- FAQ – Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
DISCLAIMER: THIS POST IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY SUBJECT MATTER. DIGITAL FORENSICS CORP. IS NOT A LAWFIRM AND DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE OR SERVICES. By viewing posts, the reader understands there is no attorney-client relationship, the post should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney, and readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning a specific situation.
