LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)– As if dating wasn’t hard enough already, the Better Business Bureau has been receiving calls reporting scammers preying on dating app-users. People are meeting other ‘people’ on dating apps then taking the conversation to private platforms where the intention is to scam victims.
Once on the texting app, the scammer starts talking about how they have a family member who is a successful cryptocurrency investor. This person has inside trading information that could make you rich. All you need to do is deposit money in a cryptocurrency trading platform.
Chris Babin, expert at the BBB, says in some cases victims are guided to a fake investment website. They think they’re investing their money, but really it goes straight to the scammer. Once the money is received, they block you on everything.
“In one instance, we had someone reported that they lost $3,000 on this website that they were provided through this person that they met on tinder. Turns out, they couldn’t get any of their funds back when they realized it was a scam and the person they were talking to cut them off, blocked them,” Babin said.
Here are some tips on how you can protect yourself from this scam:
- Never send money or personal information to someone you’ve never met in person. If they continue to pressure you to invest on a crypto trading platform, research the investment platform first.
- Communicate on the dating app. If a love interest appears to be in a hurry to get off the dating app to an unsecure chat app, that’s a red flag.
- Ask specific questions about details given in a profile. A scammer may stumble over remembering details or making a story fit.
- Research the dating profile. Many scammers steal photos from the web to use in their profiles. Search online for a profile name, email, or phone number to see what adds up and what doesn’t.
If you have a scam you’d like me to investigate, feel free to send me an email at smasters@KLFY.com
