This Valentine’s Day, beware of internet romance scams
Here’s a Valentine’s Day message from the FBI: Internet romance scams are on the rise.
Victims are mainly vulnerable women, but also men, usually widowed or divorced, who are computer literate and educated, the FBI says in a timely news release.
Savvy con artists pick up on their vulnerability because potential victims post details about their personal life on dating and social media internet sites, FBI Special Agent Christine Beining of Houston says in an audio recording accompanying the news release.
The cons assume an online identity, hunt through the various networking sites and find a good target, she says. “Then they use what the victims have on their profile pages and try to work those relationships and see which ones develop.”
“Anyone is subject to this,” Beining says in the audio. “If you’re online, if you’re using the internet, as long as you have money and you’re willing to give it, then you could be a target.”
Last year, almost 15,000 complaints falling under the category of romance scams or confidence fraud were reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, nearly 2,500 more than the previous year, the FBI says in the release. Losses totaled more than $230 million.
States with the highest numbers of victims were Texas, California, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania. In Texas, the FBI received more than 1,000 complaints related to romance scams in which the victims reported more than $16 million in losses.
Beining relates the story of a Texas woman in her 50s who fell prey to a romance scammer and lost $2 million and suffered untold heartache. Beining says the woman’s vulnerability and strong Christian faith gave her victimizer an avenue to pursue when he began courting her. They prayed together, sang together, exchanged emails and photos. It lasted for two years. He somehow gained her trust, even though they never met face to face.
In July, two Nigerian co-conspirators pleaded guilty for their roles in the scam and were sentenced in federal court in December to three years in prison. But the main perpetrator remains at large.
His victim is conflicted, Beining says, but still holds out hope that he will one day repay her.
Tom Uhler: 817-390-7832, @tomuh
FBI tips on not becoming a victim
To stay safe online, be careful what you post, because scammers can use that information against you. Always use reputable websites, but assume that con artists are trolling even the most reputable dating and social media sites. If you develop a romantic relationship with someone you meet online, consider the following:
- Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the material has been used elsewhere.
- Go slow and ask lots of questions.
- Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or Facebook to go “offline.”
- Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.
- Beware if the individual promises to meet in person but then always comes up with an excuse why he or she can’t. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious.
- Never send money to anyone you don’t know personally. “If you don’t know them, don’t send money,” Beining said. “You will see what their true intentions are after that.”
- If you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately. And if you are the victim of a romance scam, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Source: FBI
This story was originally published February 14, 2017 at 12:07 PM with the headline "This Valentine’s Day, beware of internet romance scams."