Romance scammers target older adults

It’s February. Yes, the month of “love” is in full swing. Do you know who really loves February? Scammers.

Unfortunately, these tricksters prey on older adults with computers. Technology is a blessing and a curse. Before my grandmother passed, we had many conversations about “friends” contacting her on Facebook. She would be contacted by gentlemen whose profile photo featured them in full military uniform or a doctor’s jacket. Her “new friends” would text things like “Linda, you have a lovely photo. I would like to get to know you better.” I will share with you the same advice I gave her: not everyone you meet via phone or internet is who they say they are! Scammers create fake online profiles pretending to be someone they’re not (aka: Catfishing). Remember, anyone can steal online social media profile photos to mis-represent themselves.

Romance scams are a category of scams where a scammer develops a romantic relationship and targets the victim to manipulate them into sharing private information. Or, they create a fake emergency requesting money. These criminals target vulnerable people who have experienced a recent breakup, loss of a loved one, or hardship. They take full advantage of that to establish a connection and gain sympathy.

Know the signs of romance scams:

· The relationship moves fast. Scammers usually profess strong feelings quickly.

· You never meet in person.

· The person is avoiding face-to-face contact or calling you. Don’t fall for lies about not being able to call you or do a video call. For example: they don’t have internet, or their phone is broken.

· Their stories have inconsistencies and are dramatic. · They want to keep the relationship a secret from your friends and family.

· They may not ask for money initially, instead they may try to get personal information from you so they can guess your passwords and hack your profiles.

· Beware of any unsolicited messages you receive on social media.

Tips to stay safe: Never send money, gift cards or personal information to someone you haven’t met., always be wary about the personal info you post online. Fraudsters read social media and other readily available public information. Do a reverse image lookup of a person’s profile picture to see if it is being used elsewhere on the internet. If you suspect you are being scammed — STOP communication with the person.

If you encounter a romance scam, cut off contact by blocking accounts and phone numbers. Report your experience to BBB.org/ScamTracker.