How often does scamming take place on the internet? Every day, someone, somewhere in the U.S., by the age of 60, will succumb to either a sales pitch scam, a Ponzi scam, a tech support scam, or a romance scam.
A scam artist loves to target older people because of how gullible and non-tech savvy they are. They’re unaware that the biggest red flag indicating that someone is a scammer is when they ask for money online to “avail their services,” or a deposit for whatever they want to do for you.
Today, we’ll delve deeper into what romance scams are, how they affect people, and what you can do to protect yourself from online romance scams.
What is a Romance Scam?
A Romance Scam is a type of online fraud where scammers use another person’s identity or a made-up persona to fool an unwilling victim into handing over their money in a faux-romance setting.
What they do is make you believe you’re about to be in a relationship with them. They will go to great extremes to gain your affection, even love bomb you. To protect their ruse, they avoid seeing you in person or jumping into a video call with you.
When they finally have you wrapped around their fingers, they’ll tell you a sob story to get you to give them money. It’s either that they need money for a medical emergency, or they’ll ask you for an amount so they can visit you.
Once they start asking you for favors, know that you’re about to be a victim of a romance scam. Don’t play their game. Instead, follow these simple yet effective tips.
3 Helpful Tips to Protect Yourself from Romance Scams
What is a scammer? There are thousands of call centers and BPO hubs all over the world that are guised as tech-support companies.
What people don’t know is that a lot of these hubs are scam centers, harboring cash from victims every day. These scam centers engage in fraud, luring victims into thinking they’re talking to a real person who wants to be loved.
Sadly, most of these victims are unaware that what they’re getting into is a scam. Because of how eloquent people are becoming and how skilled scammers are at manipulation, victims often mistake these scam artists for legitimate people.
So, if you ever feel like you’re engaging in some sort of scam, follow these tips to avoid becoming the next victim.
Identify Whether it’s a Romance Scam or Not
When you engage in online dating activities, you need to keep in mind that romance scam artists are everywhere. They can be on dating apps, chat roulettes, or any dating service-related application you see online.
First, check whether the person you’re interacting with has a verified account.
Most dating apps require facial scans to verify accounts, which is arguably a great way to discourage scammers from joining the platform since they’ll likely be found out. However, seasoned scammers know how to get around such security features, so it’s best to do your own verification on top of the platform’s safeguards and security measures.
For example, you can ask them to send you a silly photo of them doing something specific, such as doing the thumbs-up sign on top of their head. Why? Because if the person you’re interacting with is only using photos they grabbed online, they won’t be able to do what you specified. Just make sure you are being respectful with your requests. It might be better to get to know them better first, so it wouldn’t be awkward to ask for such photos.
Love bombing is also a common tactic that scammers use. They resort to love bombing to make their victims fall for them fast. So, if someone falls in love with you even when you’ve only just met, it’s a red flag you shouldn’t disregard.
Never Give Out Money or Any Personal Information
The number one rule in online dating that you should always remember is: Don’t trust anyone. With that said, NEVER give out any information about where you work, where you’re staying, or what bank you use. Don’t give them anything they can use for fraud or to blackmail you.
A lot of people are too empathetic when it comes to other people’s problems, and it’s not a bad thing. The downside is that scammers can use your kindness against you.
Scammers use pity to get you to send them money. That’s why you shouldn’t give money to anyone you’ve barely known AT ALL. They use medical emergencies as ultimatums to get you to decide on the spot, causing you to make uninformed decisions you will only regret.
Always Trust Your Guts: When in Doubt, Shut it Down
If you feel that something is oddly fishy about your correspondence with someone online, you might as well trust your intuition. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Ask yourself:
Is the conversation moving a little too fast?
Does it feel like a bad idea?
Are they giving you red flags?
If you answer yes to any or all of the above, then shut it down.
Even if you’re not sure if they’re really a scammer, just shut it down—stop the conversation, and move on to another person. The thing about dating apps is that you never know who you are connecting with.
You have nothing to lose. If that person seems too good to be true, maybe it’s because they are. It’s not selfish to protect yourself from potential scams.
At the end of the day, what matters is that no money was taken, and your dignity is intact.
The Dangers of Extreme Romance Scams
Don’t take Romance Scams lightly. They can ruin your life if you’re not careful.
Because of the convenience of online dating apps and sites, these scams have become a common occurrence. Aside from the danger of being scammed out of your money, some catfishers with bad intentions con victims into meeting them.
There was an instance that happened around 2019 to 2022 where a woman from Nevada went on a kidnapping and drugging spree.
According to the FBI, A woman named Aurora Phelps created an account on a dating app and lured rich old men into dating her. She ended up drugging them and stealing their assets and bank accounts.
It wasn’t until a foolish attempt to secure one’s assets from their bank that the bank officials found it too suspicious, leading them to call the authorities and have her apprehended.
It was revealed that she had been kidnapping her victims through meetups after offering them an alluring offer of romance.
Be Smart, Be Wise, Be Attentive
Who is affected by falling for scams? That’s right—you. So, it pays to be smart when it comes to dating.
Remember, anybody can be a victim of a romance scam artist. You’ll never know when you might be scammed or blackmailed into doing things these fraudsters want.
With that said, we’re not saying you should stay away from online dating altogether. What you can do is to keep yourself informed so you can safely navigate the online dating world. Finding a reliable platform is the first step to ensuring safety and security.
How? Do a little research. You can check testimonials from previous users and learn more about the platform before investing time and effort in it.
Everyone deserves a safe and fun dating experience, not a traumatizing one.
Better to be safe than sorry. Protect yourself from online romance scams
External References Used:
FBI.gov. 2025. “Seeking Victim Information in Aurora Phelps Investigation | Federal Bureau of Investigation.” FBI. https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-aurora-phelps-investigation.