Consumer Alert
Faking it — scammers’ tricks to steal your heart and money
Not everyone using online dating sites is looking for love. Scammers create fake online profiles using photos of other people — even stolen pictures of real military personnel. They profess their love quickly. And they tug at your heartstrings with made-up stories about how they need money — for emergencies, hospital bills, or travel. Why all of the tricks? They’re looking to steal your money.
As if all that isn’t bad enough, romance scammers are now involving their victims in online bank fraud. Here’s how it works: The scammers set up dating profiles to meet potential victims. After they form a “relationship,” they come up with reasons to ask their love interest to set up a new bank account. The scammers transfer stolen money into the new account, and then tell their victims to wire the money out of the country. Victims think they’re just helping out their soulmate, never realizing they’re aiding and abetting a crime.
Here are some warning signs that an online love interest might be a fake. They ask you to:
- chat off of the dating site immediately, using personal email, text, or phone
- wire money using Western Union or Money Gram
- set up a new bank account
Did you know you can do an image search of your love interest’s photo in your favorite search engine? If you do an image search and the person’s photo appears under several different names, you’re probably dealing with a scammer. And if the person’s online profile disappears a few days after they meet you, that’s another tip-off.
Here’s the real deal: Don’t send money to someone you met online — for any reason. If your online sweetheart asks for money, you can expect it’s a scam.
Unfortunately, online dating scams are all too common. There may be tens of thousands of victims, and only a small fraction report it to the FTC. If this happens to you, please report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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In reply to I’ve been talking to a by Lawoman
Some scammers convince people to help them ship stolen goods, or items they bought with stolen credit cards. If you do this for a scammer, you receive packages of stolen goods (or goods bought with a stolen credit card) and you send them out again. If you get involved with one of these schemes, and you could get into legal trouble.
In reply to My sister has been chatting by sisters protector
Some scammers use people to help them transfer stolen money. Scammers meet people online, create a relationship, and ask their new sweetheart to help them receive and transfer money. They may ask a victim to use her bank account or to wire money.
If you do transfer money for a scammer, your name is on the bank account and on the money transfer forms. If you get involved with one of these schemes, you could lose money and personal information, and you could get into legal trouble.
Also, when a scammer has your personal information, like your Social Security number, he can drain your bank account. He could open new utility accounts, get medical treatment on your health insurance, or file a tax refund in your name and get your refund.
Read about warning signs of identity theft. If you see identity theft happening, go to IdentityTheft.gov. You can report identity theft, and get pre-filled letters and forms to help you recover from problems.
In reply to I’m being scammed I’m sure by smiley
In reply to I have a situation that is by Deborah68
Some scammers use people to help them transfer stolen money. They meet people online and create a relationship, then ask their new sweetheart to receive and transfer money for them. They might ask her to use her bank account, or wire money for them.
If you do this for a scammer, your name is on the bank account and on the money transfer forms. If you get involved with one of these schemes, you could lose money and personal information, and you could get into legal trouble.
You told him your address, age and employment status, and you might have told him other personal information when you were chatting online. A scammer could use that information for identity theft. Read about the warning signs of identity theft.
If your information was misused for identity theft, report it at IdentityTheft.gov and get help to repair the problems.
In reply to Some scammers use people to by FTC Staff
In reply to I have not received briefcase by Deborah68
You could tell police about the person you have been talking to, the story about "Homeland Security," the money in the briefcase, and the other person. You can tell the police that the scammer knows your name, age and address.
In reply to I am talking to some1 by the by Edie
In reply to the name he used was Leroy by hersheypark
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In reply to Ladies, Gentlemen, etc. by Learned My Lesson
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In reply to I am chatting with scammer, by mal