HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – For elderly members new to social media, some may not be familiar with the tactics of scammers.
One popular scam pulls at the heartstrings of unsuspecting victims.
Romance scams occur when a scammer assumes a fake identity and targets someone looking for love. Often times, this happens to elderly people recently divorced or widowed and looking for something new.
HPD Sgt. Chris Kim with CrimeStoppers Honolulu says these types of scams are happening, and people need to be aware.
Victims will start talking to these criminals and quickly form a bond, Kim says. They get to know their victims and sooner or later, feelings become involved.
Kim says its especially prevalent during the holidays, where senior citizens may feel lonely if family members have passed or are away.
The scam happens when the criminal has established a bond, and then requests money to go and see the victim. Money is then sent — sometimes in large amounts — then the romancer disappears and the victim is left wondering what happened.
Kim says often times, the elderly victim may be ashamed to even disclose they are on dating platforms, however, important discussions about online safety and protecting personal information must be had. He says checking in with kupuna is an effective way to ensure they are staying safe and avoiding falling victim.
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