Romance scams

What are romance scams and who falls victim to them?

Social media platforms and dating apps like Facebook and Tinder make it easier to meet new people. However, it’s important to remember that when communicating with someone online, they may not be who they claim to be.

• Romance scam is when someone forms a romantic or friendship connection with you under false pretences to steal your money or personal information.
• Unlike most online scams, romance scammers are willing to invest significant time in convincing you to trust them before asking for money or information.
• Anyone can fall victim to romance scams, but the primary targets are men in their 60s and 70s.

Key signs of Romance scams

Here are some suspicious behaviors to watch for:

• The person quickly becomes deeply infatuated with you and repeatedly professes their love.
• They want to move the conversation off the platform where you met (like Facebook) to SMS, email, or even phone, right away.
• They seem too perfect, as if they’ve read the information you’ve shared online about yourself and what you’re looking for in a partner and are using it to craft their persona.
• They urgently need money to solve a problem. They may not ask directly at first but hint at financial difficulties until a request is made.
• They share a "great" investment opportunity that they claim has made them a lot of money. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• They’re always about to meet you, but something always comes up to prevent it.

What can you do?

There are a few simple steps you can take to reduce the chances of being targeted by a scammer and to identify them:

• Adjust your social media settings so that only friends can see what you post. Anything shared publicly can make it easier for scammers to gather information about you before making their move.
• Take your time when communicating with new people online.
• Pause if something feels off or unusual in your interactions with someone online.
• Search for names and images. This can help you check if the photos the person is using appear elsewhere online. However, this isn’t foolproof, as scammers can create entirely fake personas online.
• Don’t share anything that could be used against you later, including financial details or photos and videos you wouldn’t want to be shared publicly.
• Be cautious of any requests for payments, whether it’s money transfers, gift cards, or anything else.
• Don’t fall for promises of quick and easy profits, such as investment opportunities or offers to pay you for transferring money on someone else’s behalf.

Anyone can fall victim to online scams

There is no reason to feel ashamed if you have been targeted by online scammers. Don’t hesitate to seek help from banks, the police, and your loved ones.

Keep in mind

There is always someone ready to take advantage of a situation. Scammers often target people who are lonely, isolated, or seeking new connections.

Photos and videos don’t prove anything. Anyone can gather images of others and post them online as their own. With artificial intelligence, it’s also possible to create images of people who don’t actually exist.

Never approve a request through your electronic ID unless you initiated it. If the scammer knows your phone number and your bank, they might try to log into your online banking, hoping you’ll approve the request via electronic ID.

Talk to the people around you. It’s easy to lose perspective when the excitement of a new relationship is at its peak. Pause and discuss the new relationship with those close to you. They might notice something you missed.

What can you do?

• If you suspect the person you are talking to isn’t who they claim to be or if they start asking you for money, the simplest solution is to block them to prevent further communication. You can block individuals on all platforms.
• If you have sent money, contact your bank immediately. Bank staff are experienced and understanding in these cases and can guide you on what to do next.
• If the individual is trying to extort money from you, for example, by threatening to share content you have sent them with your friends, contact the police.