More people have turned to online dating during the pandemic, but the Federal Trade Commission found that it creates opportunities for scammers.
According to a new report from the FTC, over the last year, people sent $547 million to romance scammers. Over a third of those who lost money said the contact started on Facebook or Instagram, often through an unexpected private message.
​​Many people who’ve experienced scams report being contacted on dating apps.
The numbers have skyrocketed in recent years, and 2021 was no exception, as it reported a spike that is six times more than the reported losses in 2017 and a nearly 80 percent increase compared to 2020. The median individual reported a loss in 2021 was $2,400.
According to the FTC, romance scammers create fake online profiles with attractive photos swiped from the web, and sometimes they assume the identities of real people. The report warns that scammers may study information people share online and then pretend to have common interests, and details they share will always include excuses for not meeting in-person.
An example is many reportedly claim to be serving overseas in the military or working on an offshore oil rig.
Romance scammers weave all sorts of believable stories to con people, but their old standby involves pleas for help while claiming one financial or health crisis after another.
Reports about romance scams increased for every age group in 2021, according to the FTC. The increase was most striking for people ages 18 to 29, and for this group, the number of reports increased more than tenfold from 2017 to 2021. However, the median loss increased for people 70 and older, who reported the highest individual median losses at $9,000, compared to $750 for the 18 to 29 age group.
The following tips are provided by the FTC to spot scammers online.
- Nobody legit will ever ask you to help by sending cryptocurrency, giving the numbers on a gift card, or by wiring money. Anyone who does is a scammer.
- Never send or forward money for someone you haven’t met in person, and don’t act on their investment advice.
- Talk to friends or family about a new love interest and pay attention if they’re concerned.
- Try a reverse-image search of profile pictures. If the details don’t match up, it’s a scam.
