Locations
Romance Scams
How to Avoid Losing Money to a Romance Scammer
- Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
- Research the individual’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.
- Go slowly and ask lots of questions.
- Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate directly.
- Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.
- Beware if the individual promises to meet in person but then always comes up with an excuse why he or she can’t. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious.
- Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone.
The Lies Romance Scammers Tell
- Romance scammers adjust their story to what they think will work in each situation.
- Scammers say they can’t meet you in person. They might say they’re living or traveling outside the country, working on an oil rig, in the military, or working with an international organization.
- Scammers will ask you for money. Once they gain your trust, they’ll ask for your help to pay their medical expenses, buy their ticket to visit you, pay for their visa, or help them pay fees to get them out of trouble.
- All scammers, not just romance scammers, want to get your money quickly. And they want your money in a way that makes it hard for you to get it back. They’ll tell you to wire money through Western Union or MoneyGram, put money on gift cards and give them the PIN codes, send money through a money transfer app, or transfer cryptocurrency.
- Scammers do these things to pressure you into acting immediately by paying money. But don’t fall for it; it's a scam.
Back to Don’t take the bait