Romance scams are common as Valentine’s Day approaches but you don’t have to be a victim. The FBI explains.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — We celebrate love but sadly there are scammers looking to break hearts and wallets with romance scams.
Terrance Frank, the Assistant Special Agent In-Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque office, told KOB 4 that scammers defrauded $3.8 million from New Mexicans alone last year.
“Anybody can really fall victim to this scam, especially folks that are on social media a lot. Also, folks that sometimes they don’t know what to look for, so they may get a text message from a random number,” Frank said.
What do romance scammers do to hook you? Here are the steps they often take:
- Send photos that look photoshopped or are AI-generated.
- Profess love quickly.
- Attempt to isolate you from friends and family.
- Press you to leave the dating website where you met to communicate only through email or instant messaging
- Ask you for money or for assistance to move money.
- Request compromising photos or videos of yourself.
- Asks for financial information.
If you believe you’re falling victim to this, you can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), their national tipline. You can also go online to submit tips. They also recommend reaching out to trusted loved ones.
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