We all love compliments, but not from a scammer! Dating and social network websites are reported to be the most popular environment for criminals to trick innocent people, like you, out of your hard-earnt cash. In 2019, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reported there were 3,640 dating and romance scams; equating to $26.7 million in funds being lost in this country.
Also known as ‘cat fishing’, these types of scams involve creating fake profiles to lure you in. They will use a false name or deceitfully use the identity of a real person and insist on communicating via email or text to avoid detection.
These cons will involve the scammer expressing strong emotions in a very short period of time - using emotive language and showering you with compliments in order to earn your trust and interest in them.
Once your defences are down, scammers will then concoct multiple scenarios to extract money from you. These can include the scammer falling ill and needing to pay for hospital bills; or even claiming they’ve come under financial hardship and need funds to buy a plane ticket to see you. Read about Georgina’s Facebook fiancée leaving her broke.
In certain situations, scammers will suggest they have a large amount of money that needs transferred out of the country, and will offer you a share of it, so long as you pay for the taxes and other fees needed to release the money.
Be aware that romance and dating scams can pose a risk to your personal safety, according to Scam Watch, as they can often be a part of International Criminal Networks.
The NSW Police has five tips on how to prevent romance and dating scams from happening to you:
- Protect personal information – Never share your personal information or photos with anyone you don’t trust. Scammers may use this material to black mail you.
- Be vigilant – If you’re on a dating site and an admirer asks you to communicate via email or text, be aware that that this could be a scammer trying to avoid detection. If you are choosing to meet someone in person, choose a public place and make appropriate friends and family aware of where you’re going.
- Search online – If you’re suspicious of a photo used on a profile, run a Google image search to identify whether it is a fake photo.
- Think again – Under no circumstances should you send money to someone you’ve met online, especially via money transfer, as it is unlikely the money can be recovered.
- Report them – Think you’ve given your account details to a scammer? Let your financial institution know as soon as possible.
Visit our cybercrime page for ways to protect and recover your identity online.
