LAST MONTH. WELL TONIGHT THE FBI HAS A WARNING FOR PEOPLE AHEAD OF VALENTINE’S DAY ABOUT WTHA THEY CALL ROMANCE. SCAM. THE FBI SAYS ROMANCE SCAMS HAPPEN WHEN CRIMINALS TRICK PEOPLE INTO BELIEVING THEY’RE IN A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP TO GET THEM TO PROVIDE PERSONAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION OR BUY THINGS FOR THEM NATIONWIDE IN 2020 PPLEOE REPORTED LOSING MORE THAN 281 MILLION DOLLARS. TO ROMANCE SCAMS 4.4 MILLION OF THAT HAPNPE IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THEY SEE OLDER WOMEN ARE TARGETED THE MOST EXPERTS SAY WARNING SIGNS ARE IMMEDIATE ATTEMPTS TO CONCTNE TO YOU BY EMAIL OR PNEHO OUTSIDE OF A DATING SITE CLAIMS TOE B FROM THE US BUT TRAVELING RIGHT NOW REVEALING A SUDDEN CRISIS AND PRESSURING YOUOR F FINANCIAL HELP OR IF A PERSON ASKSOR F ANYTHING WITHOUT HAVING MET YOU IN PERSON THE FBI REMINDS EVERYONE NOT TO PROVIDE MONEY OR PERSONAL INFORMATION. AND YOU DON’T KNOW AND BE VERY CAREFUL A
FBI warns of romance scams in South Carolina ahead of Valentine’s Day
The FBI office in South Carolina is warning the public about bad actors using romance scams ahead of Valentine’s Day.Romance scams occur when criminal actors deceive victims into believing they are engaging in a trusting relationship. They use that relationship to persuade victims to send money, provide personal and financial information, or purchase items for them.In 2020, complaints filed with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complain Center (IC3), showed that victims lost more than $281 million to romance scams. South Carolinians reported losses of more than $4.4 million that year. These schemes affect victims from all demographics, but older women are often targeted most.The FBI offers these warning signs of the actors and their schemes:Immediate attempts to communicate by email or messaging services outside of a dating siteClaims to be from the U.S. but is currently living or traveling abroadClaims that being introduced was “destiny” or “fate”Reports a sudden personal crisis and pressures you to provide financial helpDisappears suddenly from a site, but reappears under a different nameAsks for money, goods, or other types of financial assistance without having met in person The best defense against romance scams is education and awareness. Below are some tips to help avoid becoming a victim: • Never send money to someone you meet online, especially by wire transfer. Never give someone your banking or credit card information without verifying a recipient’s identity. Never share your Social Security Number or other personally identifiable information with someone who does not need to know the information.The best defense against romance scams is education and awareness. Below are some tips to help avoid becoming a victim: Never send money to someone you meet online, especially by wire transfer. Never give someone your banking or credit card information without verifying a recipient’s identity.Never share your Social Security Number or other personally identifiable information with someone who does not need to know the information. Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you. Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere. Go slowly and ask the other person lots of questions. If you believe you are a victim of a romance scam, the FBI recommends reporting the activity to the IC3 at www.ic3.gov. You should also contact your financial institution if you discover fraudulent or suspicious transactions. Finally, you should report the activity to the website or application where the contact first began.
The FBI office in South Carolina is warning the public about bad actors using romance scams ahead of Valentine’s Day.
Romance scams occur when criminal actors deceive victims into believing they are engaging in a trusting relationship. They use that relationship to persuade victims to send money, provide personal and financial information, or purchase items for them.
In 2020, complaints filed with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complain Center (IC3), showed that victims lost more than $281 million to romance scams. South Carolinians reported losses of more than $4.4 million that year. These schemes affect victims from all demographics, but older women are often targeted most.
The FBI offers these warning signs of the actors and their schemes:
- Immediate attempts to communicate by email or messaging services outside of a dating site
- Claims to be from the U.S. but is currently living or traveling abroad
- Claims that being introduced was “destiny” or “fate”
- Reports a sudden personal crisis and pressures you to provide financial help
- Disappears suddenly from a site, but reappears under a different name
- Asks for money, goods, or other types of financial assistance without having met in person The best defense against romance scams is education and awareness. Below are some tips to help avoid becoming a victim: •
- Never send money to someone you meet online, especially by wire transfer.
- Never give someone your banking or credit card information without verifying a recipient’s identity.
- Never share your Social Security Number or other personally identifiable information with someone who does not need to know the information.
The best defense against romance scams is education and awareness. Below are some tips to help avoid becoming a victim:
- Never send money to someone you meet online, especially by wire transfer.
- Never give someone your banking or credit card information without verifying a recipient’s identity.
- Never share your Social Security Number or other personally identifiable information with someone who does not need to know the information.
- Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
- Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.
- Go slowly and ask the other person lots of questions.
If you believe you are a victim of a romance scam, the FBI recommends reporting the activity to the IC3 at www.ic3.gov.
You should also contact your financial institution if you discover fraudulent or suspicious transactions. Finally, you should report the activity to the website or application where the contact first began.
