Romance scamming: When love is blind. This is exactly what fraudsters specifically exploit in so-called romance scamming.

The consumer advice center and the Rhineland-Palatinate State Criminal Police Office show how the perpetrators operate and how those affected can protect themselves against romance scamming. Here is a typical case:

A woman meets an alleged US soldier over the Internet. You exchange cell phone numbers, keep in touch via messenger service and enter into a “digital” relationship. Then comes the engagement and the woman's desire for personal contact. However, because the unknown person is allegedly on a secret mission in Yemen, this is not so easily possible.

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The alleged soldier explains that he has to take home leave, but this involves fees. The woman should contact the American military to allow him to go on vacation. When romance scamming, the man provides an email address for this purpose. From there, the woman received instructions that she should transfer more than 7,000 euros to a bank account for the loss of earnings and over 14,000 euros for a replacement man - her supposed fiancé was in a high-ranking position. The alleged military member could not present the money himself because his bank account had been frozen due to the secret foreign mission. The woman transfers the money for the alleged loss of earnings.

Romance scamming: the money is gone

However, she will never see the transferred money again and will never have a real meeting with her fiancé! Because the woman has fallen victim to a very perfidious scam – so-called love or romance scamming.

This case of romance scamming, recently reported to the police, is just one of many in Rhineland-Palatinate. In so-called love scamming, the scam is always similar: the scammers (scammers, but also fraudsters) are looking for potential victims on online dating sites or social networks. The perpetrators write to those looking for love using fake profiles and build a relationship over days, weeks and sometimes months. Images and videos are also used here, but they come from completely different people (for example from public profiles on social networks).

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Correspondence moves very quickly from the actual internet platform to the private email account. Phone calls and video chats may follow. Third-party videos or still images are often used. The alleged partners usually state that they are traveling abroad (for example on an oil rig or in a crisis area, with a legend as a soldier, doctor or millionaire). The perpetrators send photos or documents that are intended to prove their own identity (ID cards, certificates and the like) to their victims by email. These documents are usually fake.

At some point, the new partner suddenly needs financial support and asks for help in an emergency: For example, they pretend to have run into financial difficulties on a business trip to West Africa. Or you need money for an important operation for your child or a relative. Stolen suitcases and passports, unpaid wages or an unpaid hotel bill are also intended to persuade the unsuspecting victim to transfer money. And many do, after all, at this point they are already emotionally dependent on their Internet partner. Once the victim has paid, the fraudsters usually break off contact abruptly. Result: The money is irretrievably lost and those defrauded are left with the financial and emotional damage.

How to protect yourself

The Rhineland-Palatinate State Criminal Police Office and the consumer advice center advise the following when it comes to romance scamming:

  • Do not transfer money to people you do not know or have never met or seen in person, or make any other demands.
  • Always be suspicious of incredible offers, whether when looking for an apartment or a partner.
  • Enter the name of your internet acquaintance with the addition “Scammer” into Google, for example. In many cases, the search engine can confirm suspicions.
  • If you are scammed: Stop all contact immediately, whether by email or telephone. It's best to get a new email address and telephone number.
  • If you have suffered financial loss, be sure to file a criminal complaint with the police.

via press release police

This might also be of interest:

Fraud has always existed: a scam from 1876

Article image: Shutterstock / By Artur Szczybylo


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