How to Recognize and Combat a Facebook Romance Scam

Inconsistencies in Their Profile

One advantage of Facebook is that it allows you to access a person’s profile, which means it’s easier to go over any inconsistencies.

For instance, you can check if they have very few photos that are also unrealistically good or if their friend and follower counts are suspiciously small.

You should also consider whether their account was recently created. New Facebook accounts are often suspected of being fake and only used for malicious purposes like phishing, spamming, or spreading misleading information.

Inconsistent Stories

Let’s just say you’ve already been chatting for a while, and they seem to be very fun to talk to.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful and pay close attention to their stories if they all add up to a coherent narrative. Scammers can slip up and provide conflicting details about themselves, making them easier to identify.

A common mistake made by most scammers and fraudsters is to think they are the smartest person in the room. Some of them will say whatever it takes to defend their behavior or deny any wrongdoing, even after they’ve been caught.

Premature Declarations of Love

Preying on people’s weaknesses is a heinous act usually committed by scammers.

They accomplish this by expressing strong emotions quickly, such as professing "love" even after only a short time of knowing each other. Their goal is to earn your trust so that you will eventually comply with their requests for money or personal data.

This is a reminder to resist giving in if someone asks for your personal information too soon, especially if it seems too informal or urgent. Ask them more questions about why they need it, and try not to let your feelings get the best of you.

Refusal to Do Video Calls or In-Person Meetings

Operators of a Facebook romance scam often claim to be eager to meet you and even outline plans for your future together, but somehow, something always comes up. They frequently use the same justification: an emergency family matter, money troubles, or a problem at work.

Phrases like "I really want to meet you, but I still can’t afford it because I’m still saving" and "I’ll appreciate it if you pay for my ticket. I promise to pay you back once I get there!" are some of the statements that they typically use.

Suggestions for Moving Your Chats Off the Platform

Given that Facebook can monitor their activities, scammers might suggest moving your conversations to a different and more isolated app where it’s harder for you to monitor them.

If this occurs, you should be firm on saying no and remaining with the app you originally used.

One profile is never enough for scammers. They have numerous profiles with various names on different platforms. To find out if they appear elsewhere, we advise you to perform a reverse image check on their photos.

Sudden Requests for Money

A big red flag is when someone you just met online asks for money. Scammers usually claim to need it to pay for emergency medical bills or flight tickets to meet you.

Moreover, they can ask that you either wire them money using gift cards or cash reload cards or send them money using specific payment methods that you’re unfamiliar with. This is because these payment methods do not allow you to trace them, making it impossible to have your money returned.

Report It to the Social Media Platform

The first course of action would be to report romance scams on Facebook itself. Take advantage of the social media platform’s safety features. Most importantly, make sure you gather all your evidence, including screenshots of your conversations, transaction slips, and any recorded audio calls with them.

Submit a Report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

To help others avoid the same fate, you can also file a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on their website: reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Although recovering lost money is not typically their main focus, every report that is submitted to them is shared with at least 2,800 law enforcement partners who can help with any follow-up inquiries.

File a Complaint to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

You can also submit your complaint to their FBI office or through their website at ic3.gov. This platform is dedicated to reporting cybercrimes of any kind. The FBI is more helpful in recovering lost money and apprehending the offender in case your issues include money transfers.