Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has warned the public about potential romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day on Tuesday.
According to a press release from Carr, the Federal Trade Commission in 2021 received more than 79,700 reports of romance scams, with total losses exceeding $547 million and a median loss per victim of $2400. The numbers from 2021 were an 80 percent increase compared to the year prior.
“Unfortunately, con artists will prey on people’s most vulnerable emotions by taking advantage of those who turn to online platforms in an attempt to foster new connections,” Carr said. “On Valentine’s Day and all year round, you should be cautious with what you share online and never send money or sensitive data to someone you have not met in person. Knowledge is key, and our Consumer Protection Division is offering important tips to help all Georgians protect against romance scams and keep their hard-earned dollars safe.”
Older adults are more vulnerable to these scams, with those aged 70 and older reporting a median loss of over $7600 in 2021.
In a typical romance scam, criminals create fake profiles on dating sites, or the scam may begin on Facebook or Instagram. The scammer's photo and dating profile reportedly seem almost too good to be true.
"The fraudsters quickly profess their love for you, despite never having met you, often claiming to be in the military or working abroad to explain why they are unable to meet in person," the release reads. "Early on, they may encourage you to start communicating with them via email or messenger, rather than using the online dating platform. "
The scammer then asks the victim to urgently send them money. The scammer may claim that they need the funds for medical expenses, a visa or a plane ticket. They typically ask to send the funds via gift cards, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. All of these methods are difficult to trace, according to the release.
"While romance scammers sometimes disappear as soon as your money does, many try to get their victims to continue sending them even more money over the course of many months," the release reads.
Carr offered the following tips to avoid falling victim to a romance scam:
- Be suspicious if an online romance is getting very serious but the person is never able to meet face-to-face.
- Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture. This may reveal that the picture is really of someone else or that it has been used for multiple online identities. Tineye.com and images.google.com are examples of two websites that will allow you to do a reverse image search.
- Never send money to someone you have not met in person.
- Never agree to open a bank account for someone, transfer money or re-ship goods they send you.
- Never share your financial information or Social Security number with someone whose identity you have not verified.
- Stick to the dating app for your communications and avoid giving out your phone number or email address.
- Make your social media profiles more secure by limiting who can see your profile and being selective about what personal details you share. This will make it more difficult for a scammer to target you.
- Scammers are good at creating well-worded fake profiles, so it is important to go slowly when meeting someone new and to ask a lot of questions.
- Talk to someone you trust if something seems “off” or unusual. That person may have a clearer perspective since they are not emotionally involved.
Finally, if you believe you are a victim of a romance scam, do the following:
- Immediately cut off communication.
- Contact your bank, credit card issuer, or gift card issuer to see if you can get your money back.
- Notify the online dating company or social media platform.
- File a complaint with the FTC by visiting ftc.gov/complaint.
- Notify the FBI at ic3.gov.
- Visit the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division website for more information about what to do if you have lost money in a scam.
