Meeting new people online is a trend of our time, but it also comes with dangers. In this article, you will read how to prevent becoming a victim of a romance/dating scam.
How does a romance/dating scam start?
Generally, the online encounter begins entirely innocently, where people get to know each other and share certain information. At first glance, there seems to be nothing wrong, but this will slowly change. Gradually, more trust and desire will develop, although (as yet) no physical meeting has taken place, and it never will.
Once the scammer suspects that they have gained enough trust from the potential victim, they will make a special request. This request will come with a certain urgency; examples include:
- A unique investment opportunity.
- A family member or acquaintance who urgently needs money.
- A sudden large expense.
- An emergency situation.
A significant amount will be requested, and it is not possible to transfer this amount via a bank transaction as it takes too long. Crypto is fast and the ultimate money for a scam like this. Once the crypto transaction has gone through, the new lover will break off contact and disappear with the money.
What can you do if you suspect you are or have been a victim of a romance/dating scam?
- Do not comply with requests to transfer (more) funds.
- Break off contact (if it still exists).
- Gather all relevant data about the scammer.
- Create a timeline and present it along with the data to the police by filing a report.
Do you have any questions based on this article?
Email us: fraud@bitvavo.com