Looking to start a new relationship? For some, that may mean meeting a new love interest online. Word to the wise: sometimes it’s best to lead with your head and not your heart.
Millions of Americans use dating sites, social networking sites, and chat rooms to meet people. And many forge successful relationships. But scammers also use these sites to meet potential victims. They create fake profiles to build online relationships, and eventually convince people to send money in the name of love.
The Federal Trade Commission receives thousands of reports each year about romance scammers who create fake online relationships only to steal their victims’ money.
Unfortunately, an online love interest who asks for money is almost certainly a scam artist.
The FTC’s new infographic, developed with the American Bankers Association Foundation, lists common signs of online dating scams and what to do if someone you meet online asks you for money.
Below are some tips to identify a real romance versus a scammer cruising for a target.
Please share this information with others. Victims may be embarrassed to talk about their experiences, but you can help. A simple phone call, email or text, saying “Look what I just found” and sharing this information may make a difference in someone else’s life.
It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.
The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.
We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.
In reply to Sounds very similar to man by Whiskers 44
In reply to Did this Mark person mention by Arizcacti
In reply to Sounds very similar to man by Whiskers 44
In reply to Hi, Iam currently chatting on by Peter... Hmmm!!!
In reply to Hi, Iam currently chatting on by Peter... Hmmm!!!
In reply to Hi, Iam currently chatting on by Peter... Hmmm!!!
In reply to I was scammed by a guy by Nassau2018
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In reply to I also met this gentleman on by Woman of Color
In reply to Oh my God. Someone posing as by RealmaN"
In reply to Oh my God. Someone posing as by RealmaN"
In reply to Did you send it?475-328-2202 by mudman01
In reply to Oh my God. Someone posing as by RealmaN"
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In reply to For sure ,she is a scammer. by Garce
In reply to Her name is Linda Parker and by mudman01
In reply to Oh my God. Someone posing as by RealmaN"
In reply to Oh my God. Someone posing as by RealmaN"
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In reply to This guy called Peter Yandle by scamvictim
In reply to This guy called Peter Yandle by scamvictim
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In reply to I have similar story. A guy by Mandalay May
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In reply to I just got a request from a by I waste their time
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In reply to I just got a request from a by I waste their time
In reply to I just got a request from a by I waste their time
In reply to I just got a request from a by I waste their time
In reply to No one deployed overseas in a by Fed up with fraud
I've been a victim of many scams by several banks and individual all in the same group they have scam me for over $6,000 I have their emails and phone numbers
In reply to I've been a victim of many by carolynk
In reply to No one deployed overseas in a by Fed up with fraud
In reply to No one deployed overseas in a by Fed up with fraud
Pagination