(WWJ) – Federal officials in Michigan issued a warning in advance of Valentine’s Day this year — beware of scammers who fake romance to hit your pocketbook.
Patch.com reported on a new study by the Internet Complaint Center that showed millions of people across the country fell victim to love scammers in 2020 who tricked lovestruck Americans out of $281 million. Michiganders reported losing $28 million to crooks faking affection in the same year, which set a record in the state for the highest amount of money taken in scams.
While the FBI said scammers do not discriminate and people of all ages are at risk, older women are most vulnerable. Scammers fake romantic relationships to gain access to social security numbers, bank accounts and other financial information.
According to AARP, the loneliness of older people is often preyed on — they are sought out after traumatic life events, such as the death of a spouse or a financial difficulty like being let go from a job. Scammers will skim through obituaries, dig through trash and look at documents available on and off the internet to get information on a potential victim.
Officials advised it is healthy to be wary and take things slow, as scam artists work to jump into relationships quickly. The FBI said Michiganders should be careful about what they post online and make sure to ask questions. Any attempt to isolate you from friends and family is a red flag. Agents warned to never…
