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  • Geebo 9:00 am on February 2, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , valentine's day   

    Elderly victim loses almost $100K to romance scam 

    Elderly victim loses almost $100K to romance scam

    By Greg Collier

    With Valentine’s Day approaching, romance scams are on the rise. For new readers, romance scams typically consist of scammers luring their targets into false romantic relationships as a way to steal money. The scammers usually pose as oil rig workers, military members stationed overseas, or international business people. This is done in order to have a built-in excuse as to why the scammer can’t meet their victim face to face. While anybody can fall for a romance scam, elderly women are frequently the targets for this scam. While Valentine’s Day can be a potential flashpoint for romance scams, they can happen at any time.

    For example, an elderly woman from Indianapolis is said to have lost $98,000 to a romance scammer. The victim was using a dating website after losing her husband a few years ago. She met someone on the site who claimed to be 20 years her junior. When asked if the age gap would be a problem, the scammer replied with, “age is just a number.”

    The scammer then convinced the victim to move their conversations away from the dating site and use text messaging instead. The scammer claimed to own a construction company in Montreal, Canada, and asked for money to help support his business. The victim sent five payments that totaled a little over $98,000.

    The supposed construction company owner even sent the victim a picture of a plane ticket that showed an intent to visit the victim. Of course, no one ever showed. Even then, the scammer continued to ask the victim for money, including a $500,000 request to invest in his construction business. When the victim stated they had no more money, the scammer cut off contact with the victim.

    If you ever meet a potential romantic partner online, the first thing you should do is a reverse image search on their picture. Scammers will often steal pictures from someone’s social media who has no idea their picture is being used in a romance scam. If your prospective partner is being cagey about meeting in person, that is usually a good indicator that they’re trying to scam you. Also, if you’re using a dating app or platform, and you’re asked to move the conversation off the platform, that could be a good indication of a scam. Lastly, if they ask for money before meeting, that’s a huge red flag indicating a scam.

    If you know someone who may be a victim in a romance scam, it’s often difficult to convince them that they’re being scammed. It may help if you show them this blog post or any of the articles out there that detail how a romance scam works.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on February 11, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , , , , valentine's day   

    Scam Round Up: Other Valentine scams and more 

    Scam Round Up: Other Valentine scams and more

    By Greg Collier

    Today, to help start the weekend, we’re bringing you four scams from around the country you should be aware of.

    ***

    With Valentine’s Day approaching, we’ve already discussed the romance scams you should be on the lookout for. However, there are additional scams you should be aware of. The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about impostor websites where you might be buying Valentine’s Day gifts such as jewelry and flowers from. Even if you’re shopping for gifts at the last minute, make sure the retailer you’re shopping at is a legitimate one. Check for reviews of the retailer to see if anyone has been scammed already through them. Avoid deals that seem too good to be true. Make sure the website isn’t posing as another retailer by checking the web address, known as a URL, for slight misspellings. Lastly, pass on vendors who only accept payment through cash transfer apps and cryptocurrency. Use a credit card whenever possible, since that provides the most consumer protection.

    ***

    A news report out of Pennsylvania is warning residents there about an inheritance scam. The report states that the scam starts out when the victim receives a letter in the mail from a supposed Canadian bank. The letter states that a distant relative of the victim has died, and the victim is in line to receive a multi-million dollar inheritance. While situations like this make for great TV drama, the reality is much more disappointing. In reality, the victim will either be asked to pay thousands of dollars for either phony taxes or legal fees. Or the victim will be asked for their banking information under the guise of having the inheritance sent to their bank account. If you receive one of these letters, you’re asked to just ignore it.

    ***

    If you live in an area that recently endured the winter storms, you may want to keep an eye out for this scam. In Missouri, residents are reporting receiving text messages that appear to come from the United States Postal Service (USPS). The text messages state that since service was delayed, you can request a re-delivery by clicking on a link. The link takes you to a website that looks like the USPS website and asks you for $3.30 re-delivery fee, which you can pay for with debit or credit card. This is designed to steal your financial information. The USPS will never ask for a re-delivery fee.

    ***

    Lastly, we have a scam that targets the migrant population in our country. In Indiana, police there say that people who are working to become citizens have received calls from scammers posing as local police. The victims are told if they don’t pay a fee, they could lose their status and be deported. Since the victims may not be familiar with US law, they may be easily persuaded to fall for this scam. No law enforcement department or agency will ever threaten arrest over the phone or ask for money over the phone. It’s recommended that if you receive one of these calls to contact the Department of Homeland Security. If you know someone who might be vulnerable to this scam, please let them know.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on February 9, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , valentine's day   

    FBI warns about Valentine romance scams 

    FBI warns about Valentine romance scams

    With Valentine’s Day approaching, some are engaged in a mad rush to find a companion for the romantic holiday. Some will take to dating sites, apps, or social media in order to find a special someone to spend February 14th with, even if it’s a virtual meeting due to current social distancing guidelines. However, this is when romance scams are at their worst.

    A romance scam is when a victim meets someone online who isn’t who they say they are. The scammers will often use the photo of someone they found online, often a member of the military but not always. The scammer will lead the victim to believe that they are in some kind of romantic relationship, but the scammer will keep making excuses as to why they can’t meet in public. Usually, the scammer will say they’re either deployed overseas or they’re working out of the country. Before too long, the scammer will start asking the victim for money. In some cases the money will be or gifts, or the scammer will claim they need the money for some kind of emergency. The scammers will keep asking for money until the victim realizes they’re being scammed. The scam has been known to find victims in both men and women.

    Romance scams have become such a problem that the FBI has issued a warning for this Valentine’s Day, except this year’s scam comes with a twist. Instead of asking for money, scammers are wanting victims to use their own bank account to send money. The scammers are asking their victims for their bank account information, so they can send them money and then the victim can send the money to a third party. According to the FBI, this is essentially a money laundering scheme where the romance scam victim is an unwitting middleman. The money being laundered is said to be the money stolen in the many unemployment scams that are currently plaguing the country. Even the victims in these cases, known as money mules, could potentially face prosecution.

    Now, you may think that you’re not susceptible to romance scams, and you’re probably right. But the chances are that you might know someone who is. If you feel like someone you know might be the victim of a romance scam, please let them know before it’s too late.

     

  • Geebo 9:01 am on February 5, 2020 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , valentine's day   

    Romance scams in time for Valentine’s Day 

    Romance scams in time for Valentine's Day

    With Valentine’s Day approaching a number of us are getting our plans in order for the romantic holiday. Whether it’s the old standbys of flowers, dinner, and chocolates or something as simple as a movie, many people will be shelling out big bucks to try to celebrate their significant other or impress a new prospective partner. That kind of spending is fine if you’re into the Valentine’s Day celebrations. However, there is another kind of romantic spending no one should do no matter what time of year it is and that’s falling victim to the romance scam.

    The romance scam can affect anyone no matter what their social status, education level, or age group is. It usually starts out on dating sites and apps or social media. The scammer will try to strike up a relationship with a victim almost out of the blue but they’ll never meet the victim in real life. They may give some excuse like they’re working in a remote area or they’re living overseas. Eventually, the scammers will ask their victims for money under the guise of some emergency or money they need to travel. If a victim ends up paying this money, the scammer will continue to ask for money but will still give excuses as to why they can’t meet in person.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub_Equ__Svk%5D

    The FBI has a list of tips on how to avoid romance scams. These include researching the photos that someone uses in their profile, not allowing the other person to try to isolate you from your family, and never give out your banking or other financial information. If you were to become a victim of one of these scams, the FBI recommends either filing a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center or your local FBI field office.

    While the feeling of being alone on Valentine’s isn’t the best, it’s not worth ignoring the red flags that could lead to financial ruin.

     

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