Romance scams, as you can likely guess from the name, are not entirely unlike the popular MTV show Catfish, in which an adept online user tricks an unsuspecting, lovelorn victim into believing they’re in love. Unfortunately, unlike in the show Catfish, these romance scams end in some serious financial hardship for the victims, rather than an appearance on MTV. While scams have overall been on the rise in recent years, this warning from the FTC should be heeded by all, particularly if you’re on dating apps this Valentine’s Day. As for where victims were being contacted, the majority were on dating apps. Still, nearly one third of those that lost money to romance scams were contacted via Facebook or Instagram, so it’s best to stay vigilant no matter where you are online.
How to Avoid Romance Scams
No one wants to spend Valentine’s Day cancelling credit cards, which is why taking steps to inform yourself on how these scams work is the best way to keep yourself safe. Fortunately, the FTC went into detail about how these scammers lure people into their web of love-based lies: If you really want to protect yourself online from any threat, romantic or not, your best bet is to check out some of our cybersecurity guides on password managers, VPNs, and antivirus software. In the meantime, keep those romantic funds in your account until you’re sure it’s true love.
