Bad Romance: Top “Love Game” lies told by romance scammers
By
Lesley Fair
February 9, 2023
AddThis Sharing Buttons
Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to LinkedIn
“Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah. Roma, roma-ma.
Gaga, ooh-la-la. Want your bad romance.”
This Valentine’s Day if you find yourself gaga over an online love, the Federal Trade Commission – yes, the FTC – has advice on ways to tell if you could be caught in a “Bad Romance.”
According to a new Consumer Protection Data Spotlight, in 2022 the Consumer Sentinel Network received nearly 70,000 reports of romance scams, with reported financial losses hitting a staggering $1.3 billion.
Many people who report losing money say the contact started on a website or app. But the more common approach – according to 40% of reports – was through a social media platform, often as an unexpected message. You know, one of those “Hi, there,” “Loved your post,” or “You’re cute!” comments from an attractive stranger.
From there, the romance scammer may suggest a move to WhatsApp, Google Chat, Telegram, etc. That’s where they may turn to a favorite trick: subtly teasing out their target’s likes and dislikes and then mirroring them back to create what looks like an instant connection. Are you a football fan? They are, too! Is poetry your thing? OMG, let me count the ways! But when it comes time to meet in real life, they have a “Million Reasons” to avoid a face-to-face. According to the Data Spotlight, their excuses are often baked into their bogus identities – for example, they live half-way around the globe and can’t leave the country.
One thing romance scammers have in common is knack for lying with – you knew this was coming – a “Poker Face.” The Data Spotlight lists favorite “Love Game” lies reportedly told by romance scammers:
Image
So what’s in it for them? Money. Once they’ve forged a connection, the sob stories start. They’ll tell you they’re hurt, sick, or in jail and all they need to ignite the romance IRL is cash to cover hospital bills, bail, or some other calamity. Or they may turn the tables by offering to do you a “favor.” For example, they may claim to be a big-time crypto investor who can share inside know-how with you. Or they say they want to send you an expensive gift. You just need to send someone “customs fees” up front.
The way romance scammers ask for money is another important piece of the story. According to the Data Spotlight, cryptocurrency and bank wires account for more than 60% of reported romance scam losses in 2022. Gift cards were right up there, with 24% of people who reported losing money saying that was the method.
But there’s an even seamier way romance scammers are creating a pay day for themselves – and it’s called sextortion. According to reports, scammers convince their target to share explicit photos and then threaten to share the pics with social media contacts unless the person pays up. Sextortion reports have increased more than eightfold since 2019, with people between 18 and 29 reporting it over six times more often than the 30+ demographic. About 58% of 2022 sextortion reports identified social media as the contact method, with Instagram and Snapchat topping the list.
With apologies to Lady Gaga, the FTC has advice on spotting a romance scam.
“Got my flash on, it’s true. Need that picture of you.” If someone you’re talking to online has a profile picture, try a reverse image search. If the details don’t match up, they’re up to no good. Also, it goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: Don’t send explicit photos to an online love. Period. End of sentence. End of relationship.
“You know I appreciate the finer things.” The minute your online romance turns to finance, call it quits. Nobody legit will ever ask you to help – or insist you invest – by sending crypto, wiring money, or giving numbers on a gift card. If the talk turns to “Money Honey,” that’s your cue to scoot.
“It wasn’t love. It was a perfect illusion.” The beginning of a romance can make anyone go a bit, well, gaga. Tell people you trust if you’re getting interested in someone online and pay attention to any concerns they raise. And do the same for your friends. If you suspect they’re starry-eyed over a scammer, the FTC has resources you can share.
What can you do to help shut down romance scams? Report suspicious profiles or messages to the dating app or social media platform. Then tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. And if someone is trying to extort you, contact the FBI.
_________________________________________________________________
For Release
New FTC Data Reveals Top Lies Told by Romance Scammers
Data spotlight also shows large increase in ‘sextortion’ as tool for scammers
February 9, 2023
AddThis Sharing Buttons
Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to LinkedIn
Tags:
- Consumer Protection
- Bureau of Consumer Protection
- Imposter
- Online Dating
- deceptive/misleading conduct
New data released today by the Federal Trade Commission sheds new light on the lies that romance scammers use to take advantage of people—lies that reports to the FTC show cost nearly 70,000 consumers $1.3 billion in 2022.
Using data from the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network, the new data spotlight breaks down the most common lies that consumers reported being told when they were contacted by romance scammers last year.
Topping the list was scammers telling consumers that they needed money because a friend or relative was sick, hurt or in jail – a lie consumers reported hearing in nearly a quarter of reports. The next most commonly reported lie was that the scammer had great investment advice to share with their newfound romantic interest, followed closely by the lie that the scammer was in the military, or that they needed help making some sort of important delivery.
The data spotlight also highlights a growing tactic used by romance scammers: sextortion, when a romance scammer convinces a consumer to share explicit photos and then threatens to share those photos with the consumer’s social media contacts. The spotlight notes these reports have increased more than eightfold in the past three years, with consumers ages 18-29 six times more likely than older consumers to report this form of romance scam.
According to the spotlight, consumers most often report being contacted by romance scammers via social media, though they often push to move to other messaging apps. Consumers also reported losing more money by sending cryptocurrency than any other method.
The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.
Contact Information
Contact for Consumers
FTC Consumer Response Center
Media Contact
Office of Public Affairs
____________________________________________________________
Consumer Alert
Servicemembers: DFAS is not calling you about your pay
By
Carol Kando-Pineda
Staff Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education
February 9, 2023
AddThis Sharing Buttons
Share to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to LinkedIn
People are reporting a new twist on a banking imposter scam targeting the military. In this latest con, imposters call servicemembers and pretend to be from or working with DFAS (for us civilians, that’s the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, a Department of Defense agency that handles getting pay to servicemembers). Here’s how the scam plays out.
The caller says the servicemember was (supposedly) underpaid. They demand the servicemember’s name, rank, and confirmation of a myPay payroll deposit. They then demand that the servicemember wire money to them immediately — supposedly to return the incorrect deposit. The caller says this is the only way for DFAS to then deposit the correct amount in their account. But these are all lies.
These scammers are committed and conniving: we’ve even heard of at least one case where a servicemember’s credit union flagged and stopped the transfer because it looked suspicious. But when the scammers didn’t get the money, they called back, berated the servicemember for disrespect, and pressured them into overriding the credit union’s flag to complete the transaction.
This scam shows many of the classic warning signs of an imposter scam. But these scammers also take advantage of the military’s deference to rank and authority. Servicemembers learn from the get-go to obey a superior’s commands. Scammers know that military personnel — especially those new to the service — are not likely to challenge someone claiming to be a superior. But here are some ways you can fight back against imposters.
- Know that DFAS — and other government agencies — will not call, email, or text to demand money or personal information. DFAS does not make unsolicited calls about payroll mistakes or debts — and DFAS will never demand payments by phone or mobile payment apps.
- Don’t click on links in unexpected emails or texts. Scammers might send a surprise text or email with a link that includes an official-looking logo (all fake). If you click on the fake link, the scammer could install malware on your phone or computer, which could give them complete access to your device and information. If there’s a problem with your myPay account, DFAS will email you through a DFAS email address. But, DFAS myPay does not send live links in its emails to you.
- Contact DFAS at a number or website you know is trustworthy. Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers use technology to fake the number they call from. Never call back phone numbers from your caller ID or voicemails. Let your commanding officer know about the suspicious call.
- Do some research before you react. If you get a call, email, or text and you’re concerned that there’s a real issue with your account, do a little digging. Check on your account: Call DFAS Centralized Customer Support Unit: Toll free: 1-888-DFAS411 or 1-888-332-7411 or submit your question to Ask myPay Online Customer Service.
- Never pay anyone who tells you to pay with wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. Anyone who does is a scammer. Always.
Suspect a scam? Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and visit MilitaryConsumer.gov for more resources.
_________________________________________________________
