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Millions of people turn to online dating apps or social networking sites to meet someone. But instead of finding romance, many observe a scammer trying to trick them into sending money. Read nearly the stories romance scammers make upwardly and learn the #1 tip for fugitive a romance scam.

The Lies Romance Scammers Tell
How To Avert Losing Money to a Romance Scammer
How To Report a Romance Scam

Romance scams reached a record $304 one thousand thousand in losses reported to the FTC in 2020. That's up nearly 50% from 2019.

Romance scammers create fake profiles on dating sites and apps, or contact their targets through popular social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, or Google Hangouts. The scammers strike up a relationship with their targets to build their trust, sometimes talking or chatting several times a day. Then, they brand up a story and ask for money.

The Lies Romance Scammers Tell

They'll often say they're living or traveling outside of the United States. We've heard about scammers who say they are

working on an oil rig
in the military
a doctor with an international organization

We've heard most romance scammers asking their targets for money to

pay for a plane ticket or other travel expenses
pay for surgery or other medical expenses
pay customs fees to recall something
pay off gambling debts
pay for a visa or other official travel documents

Scammers ask people to pay

past wiring money
with reload cards like MoneyPak or gift cards from vendors like Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, or Steam

Scammers inquire yous to pay past wiring money, with reload cards, or with gift cards because they tin can get greenbacks quickly and remain anonymous. They besides know the transactions are virtually impossible to reverse.

How To Avoid Losing Money to a Romance Scammer

Here's the lesser line: Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart yous haven't met in person.

If y'all suspect a romance scam

Stop communicating with the person immediately.
Talk to someone you trust, and pay attending if your friends or family unit say they're concerned almost your new dear interest.
Practise a search for the type of job the person has to see if other people accept heard similar stories. For case, you could practice a search for "oil rig scammer" or "United states of america Army scammer." You tin can also scan the comments on our blog posts about romance scams to hear other people'south stories:
- Faking information technology – scammers' tricks to steal your heart and money
- Has an online love interest asked y'all for money?
- Romance scams will cost y'all
Practise a reverse image search of the person' contour picture to run across if information technology's associated with another proper noun or with details that don't match up – those are signs of a scam.

How To Report a Romance Scam

If yous paid a romance scammer with a gift carte du jour, contact the visitor that issued the menu correct away. Tell them y'all paid a scammer with the souvenir carte du jour and ask if they can refund your coin.

If y'all think it'southward a scam, study it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Notify the website or app where you met the scammer, too.

Infographic shows the signs of and gives tips to avoid a romance or online dating scam