Watch out for romance scams this Valentine's Day, and every day
BALTIMORE -- Love is in the air this Valentine's Day and unfortunately, so are scams.
Officials say crooks are working overtime and cashing in on the dating market.
Dating sites and apps have made it a lot easier to meet people these days, but it doesn't always lead to the perfect match.
Experts are warning you to make sure you're not confusing love with scammers trying to romance you.
"They say 'I love you,' they build trust immediately," said Angie Barnett, President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland. "And they say it quickly, it's like a romance on steroids."
If it all sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
"A romance scam is literally designed to do one of two things, maybe both," Barnett said. "That is to get money from you, number two, they may get personal identity information."
In 2022 the Federal Trade Commission says nearly 70,000 people reported a romance scam, with losses hitting a staggering $1.3 billion.
"Romance scams are really targeting now any age group," Barnett said. "Females typically fall for it more so than males."
And Maryland ranks number 11 on the list of states hit hardest according to Social Catfish, an online investigation service that aims to help people avoid online scamps.
The site said 464 victims lost nearly $20.7 million to romance scams in 2021. That's an average loss of nearly $45,000 per victim.
Barnett said they are seeing an increase in cryptocurrency scams, where somebody encourages you to invest in a cryptocurrency. The problem is most of the time, the money is virtually untraceable, and very hard to get back into victims' wallets.
"Romance scams appeal to our hearts, our emotions, we think we're in love, and we're going to defend that person to the nth degree," Barnett said. "So it's an underreported scam."
To avoid falling victim, the BBB of Greater Maryland has some tips for you to keep in mind.
First, make sure you run a reverse image search on the person you're talking to, to check if the images are taken from elsewhere on the internet.
Second, if the individual wants to take you off the original social media or dating service and communicate directly through phone or email, but not meet in person, that's a red flag.
The third and biggest tip: never send money to anyone you've only communicated with online or by phone.
If you think you're a victim of a romance scam, you can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau's scam tracker tool or the FBI's internet crime complaint center.
