WISCONSIN — Romance scams cost trusting Wisconsin residents millions in 2020, and these schemes promising love and affection, are on the uptick again as Valentine’s Day nears, the FBI warned this week.
People of all ages are victimized, the FBI said, but older women are most often targeted in confidence scams using a romantic relationship to swindle them out of their money, personal and financial information.
In 2020, Americans lost over $281 million to romance scams, according to the FBI.
In Wisconsin, people lost $5,664,897 due to confidence or romance scams, data from the Internet Crime Complaint Center showed. People should be on the lookout for online suitors who ask for money, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection said in a statement.
“Scammers hook vulnerable consumers by professing their love for the victim, then launch an endless stream of requests for money. No amount is ever enough,” the agency added.
The romance scam may play on the loneliness of older Americans, according to AARP, whose research shows a common theme among people targeted in romance scams — they had recently experienced a negative event, whether the loss of a spouse or job, or a financial setback. Swindlers get that information by scanning obituaries, online and offline documents, or even by going through people’s trash.
Skepticism is healthy before entering into an online relationship, the FBI said. Some red flags:
- After initial contact on a legitimate dating…
