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If your new online friend or romantic interest says they have an emergency and need money, it might not mean they have bad luck. It’s more likely they’re a scammer trying to grab your money. So, how can you tell if an online “friend” is a fraud?

It’s hard to know who people really are when you meet them online. Scammers create fake profiles on social media, as well as game and dating sites. They might send you a friend request, start a conversation and friendship, chatting or texting daily. Surprisingly soon, they might say they’re in love with you. Then, suddenly, they’ll have an expensive emergency — a lost job, failed business, or sister who needs an operation — and appeal to you for gift cards, money transfers, even cryptocurrency.

Here are some sure signs you’re dealing with a romance scammer:

  • They can’t meet you in person. It’s an early warning sign if they can’t meet because they’re outside the country on an oil rig, in the military, or with an international organization. Those are lies.
  • They ask you for money. That’s always a scam. No matter the so-called emergency, they’re only trying to steal your money.
  • They tell you how to send the money. Which is exactly what scammers do, focusing on ways to get your money quickly. Where it’s also hard for you to get it back. (Crypto, gift cards, wire transfer, payment apps…)

If you think someone is a scammer, cut off contact. Tell the social media platform, game site, and dating site, and then tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Share this post in your socials to alert your followers of this scam.

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Say no if your online friend wants money for an emergency. It's a scam.

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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 won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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