What Happens If an Online Relationship Becomes a Fraud?
Millions of people use online dating apps or social media sites to meet someone. But instead of finding romance, they may find a scammer trying to trick them into sending money. Although many dating sites take steps to provide a safe place got meeting online, you can do more to protect yourself from scamming fraudsters to keep your online relationships safe.
What are Romance Scams?
Romance scams happen when criminals create fake identities to build emotional relationships to attempt to trick you into sending them money. Scammers often connect through social media, dating websites, messaging apps, or email. Romance scammers will start a relationship with you to build trust, sometimes by talking or chatting several times a day. Then, they make up a story and ask for money.
Why Romance Scams Are Dangerous
Romance scammers are skilled at creating emotional connections and can spend weeks or even months building what appears to be a genuine relationship. They may claim to be travelling, serving in the military, working overseas, or facing a sudden emergency. Once trust has been established, they often ask for money to cover medical bills, travel expenses, business opportunities, or other urgent situations. Their goal is to make you believe you are helping someone you care about, but these stories are a lie.
How to Protect Yourself from a Romance Scam
Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
Research profile photos and information, as scammers often use stolen identities.
Be suspicious if someone consistently refuses to meet in person or participate in a live video call.
Do not share banking information, passwords, account numbers, or other sensitive personal details.
Never send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers to someone you have only met online.
Talk with a trusted friend or family member if someone you meet online asks for money or financial assistance.
Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, pause and verify before sending money.
Indications That Someone May Not Be Who They Say They Are
Their name and the name embedded in their email address do not match.
Obvious spelling and grammar errors.
The online profile suddenly disappears from the dating site.
They pledge their love way too quickly.
They ask you to send or receive money/packages.
They need money right away due to a medical or family emergency.
They need a Visa or plane tickets.
They claim a business opportunity arose that was too good to turn down, and they ask you to wire a loan.
People conducting online imposter scams frequently use the same lines or tell the same backstory repeatedly.
This is where conducting a Google search can be especially helpful. If an online love interest starts making declarations of love and devotion and crafting love poems, search some of the lines on the internet and see where they’ve been used before. The expressions and pet phrases that online catfishers use are frequently recycled.
Common Phrases Include:
My child is being cared for by a nanny or guardian.
My wife or husband is dead.
My child is already calling you “mom” or “dad.”
You are my love or my darling.
I cannot wait to be with you.
What You Can Do if You Suspect You Are a Victim of a Romance Scam
As difficult as it may be, cease all communication.
Block attempts to resume contact via email, text, or phone. Above all, resist the temptation to physically locate or confront the person you have been corresponding with. Turn over everything, including copies of correspondence, to law enforcement and let them investigate.
If you met on a dating site, contact the site administrator, and let them know.
If you met on social media, lock down your account.
New “friend requests” could be the same scammer or one of their associates.
Screen incoming calls and don’t answer any callers you don’t immediately recognize; let it go to voicemail.
If possible, change your phone number and make it non-public.
If You Have Been a Victim of a Romance Scam
Do not be ashamed. Banks have seen this before and are prepared to help. Contact your bank immediately if you have sent money, shared account information, or provided personal details to a suspected scammer. Prompt reporting may help prevent additional losses and allow your bank to provide guidance on next steps. Review your account activity carefully and continue monitoring your accounts for suspicious transactions.
Takeaways
Romance scams are a dangerous form of online fraud where criminals build fake emotional connections over time to manipulate victims into sending money. To protect yourself, always research online profiles, never send money or financial details to someone you haven’t met in person, and trust your instincts if red flags or familiar recycled phrases appear. If you suspect you are a victim, immediately cease communication, report it to law enforcement or your financial institution, and remember that help is available without shame.
If you do become a victim of a romance scam or any other type of scam, do not panic.
Contact your financial institution to report the scam; and
Report the fraud/scam to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3); and/or
File a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Wisconsin consumers should also report the incident to local law enforcement and the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions DFI Home.
If personal information has been compromised, visit IdentityTheft.gov for recovery resources and step-by-step guidance.
