- Romance scammers bilked Americans out of $1 billion in 2021, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- Romance scams increased among all ages in 2021, with those aged 70 and up reporting the highest losses, nearly $9,000 per case, the Federal Trade Commission said.
- Gift cards are the most likely thing romance scammers want, but cryptocurrency fraud is rising.
Valentine’s Day is behind us, but romance scams remain alive and dwell online, with fake suitors’ latest goal to get you to invest in cryptocurrency.
Romance scams, in which an online scammer leads a person on with talk of love and then swindles them, do not end after the roses and chocolates are delivered.
The FBI issued an alert last week about victims of romance fraud losing $1 billion in 2021. Similarly, romance scams reported to the Federal Trade Commission rose 80% in 2021, with victims losing $547 million.
These numbers are likely low, both agencies said. “The bottom line is most consumers are not reporting fraud when it happens and romance scams may be particularly unlikely to be reported because there can be a lot of embarrassment around it,” said Emma Fletcher, a FTC analyst, told USA TODAY.
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Scammers may attempt to connect with victims on dating apps, and they may send unsolicited private messages on Facebook, Instagram and other social media…
