THE FBI website has some very useful tips to help regular people avoid bank-draining disaster scams.
One genre of scheme it focuses on is romance scams and they can be very cruel when it comes to a victim’s emotions as well as their savings.
FBI agent Jule Albretsen revealed some of the red flags of romance phishing scams in a video on the security agency’s site.
The love scam messages can come in many forms including texts, social media messages, emails, and even out-of-the-blue phone calls.
The FBI agent said: “Jule Albretsen: Not everyone on dating sites and apps is looking for love.
“I’m Special Agent Jule Albretsen with the Salt Lake City FBI.
“A romance scam involves someone using a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust, only to drain their accounts.”
He revealed that victims can lose a staggering amount of money to the scams and in 2021 victims lost a total of approximately $1billion.
Albresten continued: “These con artists are experts at what they do, so don’t be fooled.
“Here are a few tips to keep in mind. Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches.
“Be cautious if they seem too good to be true. Go slowly and ask a lot of questions.
“And never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.”
A stranger claiming to have fallen in love with you in an extremely short amount of time is a bad sign.
Especially if you’ve never met them in person or confirmed that they are who they claim to be.
Don’t suffer in silence if you have suspicions.
Speak to people close to you for advice and an outside opinion.
The security agent concluded: “If you think you’re a victim of a romance scam, stop communicating with the person immediately and file a complaint at IC3.gov.”
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