It’s that time of year again - pink and red hearts as far as the eye can see. But don’t let all those “lovey” feelings cloud your judgment this Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately this time of year is a favorite for cyber criminals looking to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. Let’s take a look at some of the sweetheart scams making the rounds this time of year:
Online Dating Scams
Over the past decade, dating sites and social media networks have skyrocketed in popularity, with many people turning to them to meet new friends and love interests. While looking for love online can certainly lead to a happy, loving relationship, it can open up the doors to scammers as well. Fraudsters are out there, creating fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting online daters. According to the FBI, in 2016 victims lost more than $220 million to online romance scams.
So, how can you spot an online dating scammer? Here are some potential warning signs to watch out for:
Another type of scam making the rounds this Valentine’s Day is an email phishing scam where the victim receives an email stating that their flowers can’t be delivered unless their credit card information is re-entered online. When the victim follows the link and enters the information, it goes straight to the scammer.
There have also been reports of a scam where the victim receives a flower or package delivery that they didn’t expect, and are told that there is a small delivery fee. The delivery person will only accept a credit card, and once the victim hands it over for payment, the crook has the information they need to rack up fraudulent charges on the victim’s account.
Knowing how to identify a potential scammer is the first step to protecting yourself, but what should you do if you fear you’ve already been targeted? First and foremost, if you’ve sent money to someone you think might be a scammer, you should contact your financial institution immediately. And any contact you’ve had with a potential scammer should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint, and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov. If you’ve been targeted through an online dating website or social media network, it’s also a good idea to report it directly to the site as well.
Online Dating Scams
Over the past decade, dating sites and social media networks have skyrocketed in popularity, with many people turning to them to meet new friends and love interests. While looking for love online can certainly lead to a happy, loving relationship, it can open up the doors to scammers as well. Fraudsters are out there, creating fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting online daters. According to the FBI, in 2016 victims lost more than $220 million to online romance scams.
So, how can you spot an online dating scammer? Here are some potential warning signs to watch out for:
- They claim to be from the United States, but say that they’re currently out of the country on business, military leave, or vacation.
- They refuse to talk to you on the phone.
- Their cell phone number doesn’t match the area in which they claim to live.
- The relationship seems to be progressing at hyper-speed, and they profess their love for you after only a few days or weeks.
- They won’t meet up with you in-person.
- They ask you for money, often claiming they need it for an emergency.
- Check their photos. You can use Google’s reverse image search to check if the photos on their profile were pulled from somewhere else on the internet.
- Slow down. If things feels like they’re “heating up” too quickly, trust your instincts and put the brakes on a bit. And, if you have any doubts about the person you’ve been communicating with, get the opinion of someone you trust.
- Protect your cash. No matter what story you’re given about why your online love interest needs money, don’t fall for it. Never wire money, send cash, or give your bank account details to someone you’ve met online – you won’t get your money back. If you haven’t met someone in person, and haven’t been dating them for a significant period of time, there’s no reason they should be asking you for money.
Another type of scam making the rounds this Valentine’s Day is an email phishing scam where the victim receives an email stating that their flowers can’t be delivered unless their credit card information is re-entered online. When the victim follows the link and enters the information, it goes straight to the scammer.
There have also been reports of a scam where the victim receives a flower or package delivery that they didn’t expect, and are told that there is a small delivery fee. The delivery person will only accept a credit card, and once the victim hands it over for payment, the crook has the information they need to rack up fraudulent charges on the victim’s account.
Knowing how to identify a potential scammer is the first step to protecting yourself, but what should you do if you fear you’ve already been targeted? First and foremost, if you’ve sent money to someone you think might be a scammer, you should contact your financial institution immediately. And any contact you’ve had with a potential scammer should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint, and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov. If you’ve been targeted through an online dating website or social media network, it’s also a good idea to report it directly to the site as well.