Love knows no borders, but unfortunately, scammers do. This blog will help you recognise the signs of online romance scams and protect yourself, no matter where you’re looking for love.
What are Online Romance Scams?
Online romance scams involve someone creating a fake online persona to deceive and extort money or personal information from those seeking love and companionship. Scammers often portray themselves as successful, attractive individuals, building trust before making financial requests.
Who is Targeted?
Anyone looking for love online can be a target. However, scammers may exploit feelings of loneliness or a lack of experience with online dating.
How Do Online Romance Scams Work?
- Crafting a Fake Persona: Scammers create profiles on dating sites or social media using stolen photos or AI-generated images. They craft a backstory to appear desirable and gain trust.
- Finding Victims: Scammers may directly message potential targets or wait for them to initiate contact.
- Building Trust: They rapidly build trust through flattery, “love bombing,” and sharing fabricated stories of wealth or success. Some research victims to create a connection based on shared interests.
- Requesting Money or Information: Eventually, they’ll ask for money (often with a sob story of a medical emergency or a lucrative business deal gone wrong) or personal information.
- Repeating the Cycle: If successful, they’ll keep asking for more. Refusal may lead to threats or blackmail using shared information or photos.
Protecting Yourself from Online Romance Scams:
- Educate Yourself on Scams: Research common romance scams and watch channels like “Catfished Online” on YouTube.
- Guarded Trust: Healthy relationships develop trust gradually. Be wary of individuals professing deep love too soon or pressuring you to share personal information.
- Reverse Image Search: A simple online image search can reveal if the photos they’re using appear elsewhere.
- Friend or Family Check-In: Discuss your online connections with a trusted confidante. A fresh perspective can help identify red flags you might miss.
- Stay Grounded: Don’t be swept off your feet by grand romantic gestures or promises of a future together that feel unrealistic.
- Never Send Money: A genuine love interest won’t pressure you financially.
Where to Get Help
- Report the User: Most dating platforms have methods to report suspicious profiles.
- Report to the Authorities in Nigeria: Consider reporting the scam to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) (https://icpc.gov.ng/). They investigate online scams.
Reporting Tips
- Stop Contact: Immediately cease communication with the scammer.
- Gather Evidence: Collect details like usernames, emails, phone numbers, photos, and conversation screenshots.
- Report the Crime: Report the scammer to the dating platform and the ICPC (if the scam originated in Nigeria).
- Seek Support: Don’t be ashamed to seek help from a trusted friend/family member or a victim support organisation.
Remember, You are not alone! By staying vigilant and reporting scams, you can protect yourself and others from falling victim to online romance scams. Happy and safe online dating!
Onyedikachi Ugwu isn’t your average writer. By day, I am a seasoned cybersecurity professional, wielding my expertise to combat online threats at L1 SOC Analyst levels. By night (well, maybe more like lunchtime!), I am here to empower you with the knowledge to navigate the often-tricky world of online dating.
My experience as a Social Engineering SME translates perfectly, helping you identify and avoid the “phishing” attempts of online romance scams. With a passion for problem-solving and a commitment to sharing knowledge, Onyedikachi is here to equip you with the tools to find genuine connections, not calculated cons.
