This guide shows you how to spot a romance scam and protect yourself from fraud. The steps are taken directly from the US Federal Trade Commission.
What it does
The FTC guide explains how to identify common tactics used by romance scammers and what actions to take to avoid losing money.
Steps
Step 1: Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven’t met in person.
Step 2: If you suspect a romance scam, stop communicating with the person immediately.
Step 3: Talk to someone you trust about the situation.
Step 4: Search online for the type of job the person has plus the word “scammer.”
Step 5: Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture.
Step 6: If you paid a scammer with a gift card, wire transfer, credit or debit card, or cryptocurrency, contact the company or your bank right away and ask for a refund.
Step 7: Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and notify the social networking site or app where you met the scammer.
What the company says
Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven’t met in person.
Key facts and where they come from
- Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven’t met in person.
Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven’t met in person.
- Scammers often request payment via wire transfer, gift cards, money transfer apps, or cryptocurrency.
They’ll tell you to wire money through a company like Western Union or MoneyGram, put money on gift cards (like Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, or Steam)
- If you suspect a romance scam, stop communicating with the person immediately.
Stop communicating with the person immediately.
- Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture to check for mismatches.
Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture.
