Romance Scams don’t just break hearts, hit bank balances but can escalate into devastating circumstances which destroy lives. Some people have their entire life savings swindled, leaving them vulnerable at old age or find themselves groomed into a life of organized crime and drug trafficking and sadly, even worse situations.
In 2019, Americans lost $201 million in online romance scams, nearly a 40% increase over the previous year. All in all, there were over 25,000 reports filed with the Federal Trade Commision. Unfortunately, these numbers are only the tip of the iceberg. Many victims of internet fraud don’t report the crime to authorities. Some victims find it too embarrassing, others write it off as an unpleasant life experience. Many victims assume there is no complaints procedure or ability to prosecute the perpetrators as they operate from overseas in places like Nigeria, Ghana or Russia.
Romance Scams are one of many types of internet scams which are used to deceive people into handing over money or personal information which can later lead to identity theft. Romance scams are operated by large organized crime networks and solo opportunists
After trust has been established and a loving relationship has been forged, a personal emergency arises. The scam involves claiming that due to some disaster they need financial support from their online partner. The circumstance of which money is required depends on the person being swindled and what they are likely to agree to. Common excuses include a family member needing medical attention, damage to their home or property which needs urgent repair and many other situations. The goal is to get the victim to send money to their digital companion.
Money is usually paid up front to order a beautiful bride online, brides stereotypically come from Russia, Ukraine and other parts of Eastern Europe. However, Mail Order Brides and scams can offer women from anywhere. The catch is that there is no woman interested in a relationship. Victims may be referred to a Mail Order Bride website or the scam can take the form of traditional online dating fraud, with fake profiles being created on standard dating sites or social networks.
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