Scammers turn grief into opportunity

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/02/2024 (581 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Valentine’s Day can be a wonderful time to celebrate love and the beauty of our partnerships with another person. It can also be a day of sorrow or grief, as many mourn past relationships that once meant a lot to them. While many of us seek to comfort those who need it, others see malicious opportunity.

This Valentine’s Day, help your loved ones avoid further heartbreak caused by fraudsters looking to capitalize on their pain. Sorrow can skew perceptions, which is exactly what scammers want. A scammer will use their victim’s pain to gain their trust and reel them in with sympathy.

The scammer could be an online persona, posing as a well-meaning single on a dating site. They could be a “wrong number” baiting you into a conversation over text. Regardless of how they show up, their intentions are the same – get close to the victim then take their money and run.

This leaves victims feeling even more heartbroken and devastated, not to mention betrayed and silly. They ask themselves how they could have fallen for such a trick, even though many do and victims cannot be blamed. What they can do, however, is watch out for warning signs.

If an online lover tries to move the relationship along very fast, never meets up in person, sends a website link, tries to get personal information or flat out asks for money, it’s best to cut off contact by blocking their accounts and phone number.

Watch out for potential matches on online dating apps who are quick to take the conversation to a texting platform before offering some kind of exclusive opportunity. Cryptocurrency scammers have been populating the online dating scene, hooking their victims in before getting them to deposit money in a cryptocurrency trading platform. Victims never see that money again.

It may seem obvious, but scammers may spend long periods cultivating their victim’s trust before mentioning the “opportunity.” The opportunity may even present itself in a harmless way, like a new app that seems reputable. But once the victim uses the app to ‘invest’, their currency is gone. They may even be told they need to pay taxes or other fees while it appears their money is still there. But it’s all a scheme designed to rob and hurt people.

Another pitfall that comes around this day is online shopping scams. As always, be diligent when ordering a gift or flowers online. If a deal appears too good to be true, it probably is. If the business has bad reviews on bbb.org or no return policy/satisfaction guarantee, turn to a reputable local business.

If you encounter any kind of romance scam, report your experience to BBB.org/ScamTracker to prevent others from falling in the same trap. You should also be sure to check Scam Tracker to find out what fraudsters are up to in your area. The key is always prevention, which is why it’s so important to stay up-to-date on what’s happening.