Did a new online friend ask for money? Odds are it’s a scam

Social media can be a great way to connect with new friends, but it’s a different story when someone approaches you to be friends and then asks for money. That’s no friend — that’s a scammer.

Scammers create fake profiles and pretend to be someone they’re not — maybe a businessperson, servicemember, or member of an international organization, with profile details that seems to support their story. They try to become your friend, and as you start trusting them, they have explanations for why they can’t meet in person. And then, eventually, they ask you for money — maybe to finally travel to see you or to help them out of a crisis.

When they ask for money, these scammers will often tell you how to send it. People report that scammers told them to wire money through a company like Western Union or MoneyGram, send the numbers on gift cards, use a payment app, or send cryptocurrency. 

If you’re ever in a situation like this:

• Talk to your friends or family about your new online relationship. See what they say about the person.
• Search online for information about this person and their story, plus the word “scammer.” Have other people posted similar stories?
• Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture. Is it associated with another name or with details that don’t match up?
• Don’t send money to someone you’ve never met in person. If that person asks for money, no matter how friendly the online relationship seems, it’s probably a scam.

If you think someone you met on social media is a scammer, cut ties. Tell the social media platform, and then tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.