Cupid is not the only one who fires arrows. Scammers are constantly trying to pierce the hearts and the pocketbooks of trusting souls. Valentines Day is a good time to brush up on scammers’ techniques so you can avoid the potential pitfalls of online love. Your Better Business Bureau has the following advice for doing just that.
Scammers disguised as soul mates
Romance scams have been around at least as long as written communication. In the digital age, of course, it’s usually done online instead of through the mail. If anything, romance scammers have seen their nefarious plots work quicker and more efficiently with the added speed of instant online communication.
Millions of Americans are using online services like Match.com and OkCupid to find romance. A recent Pew Research Center study found that 38 percent of single adults in the U.S. have used Internet dating platforms. That is 9 percent of all American adults. With numbers like that, plus the added benefit of anonymity, it’s no wonder that scammers are attracted there as well.
Sometimes called “catphishing,” the practice of making up a fake online identity in order to scam their victims continues to flourish. One favorite technique is for the scammer to assume the identity of a soldier, serving overseas. They may even take the name and rank of a real service member, combined with a photo found online. Eventually all scams get around to the subject of money. They may claim to need it for airfare, for a computer or even medical expenses.
False identity red flags
Watch out for these telltale signs that the person you are having an online relationship with is after more than your heart:
• They give excuses for not meeting face-to-face.
• There are long interruptions during your conversations. These breaks give them a chance to look up ways to respond to you.
• Poor grammar and misspelled words and misunderstanding of common American slang. These can all indicate foreign nationality.
• They prefer instant messaging; perhaps claiming their webcam doesn’t work.
• They use terms of endearment early in the relationship, quickly profess true love or claim that God brought you together.
• They want you to keep the relationship secret.
• Money angles: They can’t access their bank account; there has been a terrible accident; someone is gravely ill; the money they were going to repay you never arrives for any of a zillion reasons.
Some rules to keep romance scammers at bay
There are several guidelines for those in online relationships that can help them avoid being victimized. Make it a rule to stick to the following:
• Never turn over personal information or pictures you would not want to be widely seen. This goes for everything from account or Social Security numbers to compromising photos. Blackmail is always possible.
• Never give them money or access to your financial accounts. Usually a successful handover of money will lead to larger requests.
• Never click on strange links or download received files. It is easier than ever for scammers to pass on malware this way. You may end up with a keystroke logger in your system that reveals all your passwords and information. Viruses can be loaded onto your device that turn it into a botnet for launching attacks on others. Do not trust unknown files.
Your Better Business Bureau is here to answer your questions and concerns regarding online romance scamming. Contact the BBB at (800) 856-2417, or visit our website at bbbinc.org.