Since the invention of the smartphone, romance scam has always had its own fair share of mischief on people, leaving them depressed or better still making them lose trust in everyone and everything around them. It also leaves the victims with huge loss or debt for those who might have borrowed.
Romance scam is a confidence trick which involves the scammer feigning romantic intentions towards a victim, often referred to as a “client”, gaining the victim’s affection and then using that goodwill to get the victim to send money under false pretenses with the intention to commit fraud against the victim.
It is crucial to note that these scammers often dedicate their time and resources in getting their victim’s attention, making them fall in love with them, and winning their trust. However, they never agree to meet their victim in person or even accept video calls. To avoid being caught or questioned, they always have already cooked-up lies to dish out to their potential victims.
This often happens on dating apps or social media where scammers create fake profiles with attractive pictures and charming personalities and reach out to clueless people looking for love and when a connection has been established, they begin their fraud.
Romance scammers make use of manipulation tactics. They create a feeling of mutual trust while aiming to con the victim out of their money.
In 2022, over 70,000 people fell victim of romance scams resulting in the loss of a staggering $1.3 billion, according to ABC News.
Being aware and careful of how romance scammers operate is very important in not falling victim to their schemes, says Themba Wahlstrom, a Digital Media Creative, Video Producer and Fine Art Photographer, in an article on Truecaller.com.
To protect yourself from romance scammers, Wahlstrom advises as follows:
*Be careful when someone online professes their love too quickly. Scammers often rush the process.
*Search for their photos or descriptions online to see if they’ve been used in other scams. Reverse image search and see if a profile linked to someone else appears.
*Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person, no matter how convincing their story sounds.
*Share your online dating experiences with friends or family. They can offer advice and keep you grounded.
*If you suspect you’re talking to a scammer, report them to the dating website or app and to your local authorities.
“Online dating can be a wonderful way to find love, but it’s important to be cautious. Remember, genuine relationships are built on trust and shared experiences, not on financial demands. So, keep your heart open but your wallet closed to potential scammers, and you’ll be on your way to safer online dating,” Wahlstrom says in the article “Protect Your Heart (and Wallet): Understanding Romance Scams”.
