Here’s how to avoid search engine scams and find the information you’re actually searching for. Two Nigerian citizens were sentenced to three years in prison in the romance fraud that cost the Houston victim $2 million. A survey for UK Finance suggested that 27% of those asked who used dating websites had been subject to a catfishing attempt. To make the story appear more realistic, money was transferred into his account. Tonia asked him to distribute it to various accounts, as she did not have one of her own.

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His heart suddenly filled with uncontrollable sadness. There was no sign of any woman who even barely resembled Alicia. Of course, he was unable to reach her by phone, email here or text in the moments, hours and days that followed. Thomas never heard from Alicia again and was devastated by the emotional deception and the loss of more than $100,000.

FRAUD–11 or 833–372–8311

Scammers flood dating websites with fake profiles and wait for victims to come to them. I was scammed by two artist who played on my emotions having just lost my sister. They had two friends of mine impersonated who kept telling me to keep giving for I would receive my package of money. I am as disappointed not hearing from the FBI, Dallas Police Department and the FTC on what action was taken. It’s Cyber Security Awareness month, so the tricks scammers use to steal our personal information are on our minds. If there’s one constant among scammers, it’s that they’re always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam.

How to Spot a Fraud

A con artist will assume a fake identity and reach out to you through a dating app or social media. Then, the trickster begins to build rapport with you, sharing fictional details about their situation and asking questions about your life. They’ll pretend to share common interests with you to further build trust. If you suggest meeting in person, the con artist will likely offer an excuse, such as being out of town.

Keep up-to-date on the latest scams targeting senior citizens. Look for the warning signs of identity theft and fraud and talk about anything that feels suspicious. If you or a relative have been the victim of a senior citizen scam, report it.

For added protection, consider signing yourself and your family up for Aura. We’ll monitor your accounts for signs of fraud and keep your devices safe from hackers and scammers. Aura can monitor your credit and statements for you and alert you to any signs of fraud. We’ll alert you in near-real time of any suspicious or fraudulent activity on your accounts.

Although the desire to look nice in a profile is natural, sometimes when something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Online dating can bring lots of joy and spice in your life, but it is important to know these tips to avoid scams. According to the FTC, seniors under the age of 80 reported a median loss of $308 while seniors who are 80 and older reported a median loss of $798. They may not want your financial support or help with reporting the instance of fraud.

But before you let someone steal your heart online, keep these romance scam warning signs and online dating pointers top of mind. Bank transfers and payments sent in connection with romance scams accounted for about $31 million, nearly a third of the dollars older adults reported romance scam losses. The number of romance scams people reported to the FTC in 2021 was more than three times the amount reported in 2017. Seeing someone’s face can be a surefire way to determine whether they’re real or fake.

After losing the $250,000, the scammer cut off all communication with the man, now he’s in danger of losing his home. Reporting internet crimes can help bring criminals to justice and make the internet a safer place for us all. Darby wasn’t aware at the time, but she had fallen victim to a romance scam. Advertise their services as a money mule, to include what actions they offer and at what prices. This may also include a review and/or rating by other criminal actors on the money mule’s speed and reliability.

The easiest way to protect yourself or your loved ones is to sign up for credit monitoring. Elder fraud is any scam that targets older adults and exploits them for monetary gain, such as financial fraud or identity theft. An increasing number of Americans are becoming victims of romance scams originating from West Africa. The FBI says an increasing number of Americans are becoming victims of romance scams originating from West Africa. Be careful though because Facebook romance scams are also very common among seniors.