In romance scamming, perpetrators fake a romantic relationship.
“Romance scams” usually take place on dating platforms, but scammers often also use social media or email to make contact.
What signs are there of this?
- Someone you recently met online expresses strong feelings for you and would like to chat with you privately.
- The messages are often poorly written and vague.
- The online profile does not match what the person tells you.
- You may also be asked to send intimate pictures or videos of yourself.
- Scammers wait patiently to gain your trust, sometimes weeks or even months. Then tell you an elaborate story and ask for money, gifts, or your bank or credit card information.
- If you don't send them money, they may try to blackmail you. And if you send money, they will demand more.
- They will always have an explanation for why their webcam doesn't work, why they can't travel to meet you, and why they constantly need more money.
What can you do?
- Be careful about how much personal information you share on social media and dating platforms.
- Always think about the risks. Scammers can also be found on the most reputable websites.
- Go slowly and ask questions.
- Conduct online research on the person's photo and profile to see if the material has been used elsewhere. (e.g. via Google Images reverse search )
- Look for spelling and grammatical errors, contradictions in their stories, and excuses such as that their camera never works.
- Don't share personal pictures, videos, or other compromising material that scammers could later use to blackmail you. Such images are also often used for new scams (such as romance scamming).
- If you arrange to meet in person, let family and friends know where you are going.
- Be careful when asking for money. Never send money or share credit card information, online account information, or copies of important personal documents (e.g. ID card scans).
- Avoid making arrangements with a stranger that ask for advance payment via money order/wire transfer/international money transfer/reloadable debit card or cryptocurrencies. Money sent in this way can rarely be recovered.
- Do not receive or transfer money for other people: money laundering is a criminal offense.
- Further tips with links are also available here in our guide .
Download the Romance Scamming information sheet
Source: Internet Crime Guide | Police Lower Saxony | Joint cyber fraud awareness campaign between Europol and the European Banking Association (EBF) as part of the European Cybersecurity Month (ECSM)
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