A new study conducted by Techshielder finds that Arizona residents rank No. 9 when it comes to being catfished. Californians are most likely to be catfished in the U.S., according to the study.
READ ALSO: How Arizona ranks among most dangerous states for online dating
Finding love online can be difficult – especially if the person you trusted turns out not to be who they said they are. Interested to know where the catfish hotspots are, Techshielder analyszd international and domestic reports to find the place you are most likely to fall victim to a dating scam and the monetary loss per victim.
The table below highlights the states with the highest reports of dating scams:
The average amount of money reported lost by victims was calculated by dividing the overall money lost by the number of reports.
Catfishing scams also known as dating scams or romance scams, have seen a huge increase over the course of the pandemic. Fraudsters have not only left many people broken-hearted but also have left their pockets empty.
Catfishing has been defined as creating a fake profile to attract someone online. Fraudsters befriend victims over the internet in the hope that they can get them to send money. It should be noted that catfishing is not always a romantic relationship, it can also come in the form of family, friends, or business relationships.
But where in the world are you most likely to be catfished?
Techshielder research found that during the year 2020, dating scams cost the world a massive $301 million, which works out to be an average loss of $17,661 per victim. It turns out that the Philippines is responsible for the highest number of dating scam cases.
Over 1,300 romance fraud cases have been reported against the country, and they are responsible for a whopping $4 million in financial loss.
The table below shows the top 10 countries that have been reported for catfishing scams the most:
