(CBS DETROIT) – As people plan to spend time with their partners on Valentin’s Day, the Federal Trade Commission is warning of romance scams.
According to a report from the FTC, nearly 70,000 people reported a scam and a loss of $1.3 billion. Federal officials say one of the biggest scams, or lies reportedly told, was “I or someone close to me is sick, hit, or in jail” followed by “I can teach you how to invest.”
Officials say when it comes to meeting in person, the biggest lie told is claiming to be on a faraway military base.
Scammers will use dating apps, but many will also send private messages on social media.
“In fact, 40% of people who said they lost money to a romance scam last year said the contact started on social media; 19% said it started on a website or app. Many people reported that the scammer then quickly moved the sweet talk to WhatsApp, Google Chat, or Telegram,” read the report.
In terms of payment methods, officials found that the largest collection of losses was in cryptocurrency. However, more reported paying via gift cards.
Here are ways you can detect a romance scammer:
- Nobody legit will ever ask you to help or insist that you invest by sending cryptocurrency, giving the numbers on a gift card, or by wiring money. Anyone who does is a scammer.
- If someone tells you to send money to receive a package, you can bet it’s a scam.
- Talk to friends or family about a new love interest and pay attention if they’re concerned.
- Try a reverse image search of profile pictures. If the details don’t match up, it’s a scam.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging residents to communicate only through the specific app to avoid giving out personal phone numbers and email addresses.
“It is imperative that you always exercise caution with what you share online and never send money or sensitive data to someone you have not met in person,” Nessel said in a statement.
Click here for more information on romance scams.