Fake Internet Romance Scams Are Soaring in the U.S. Here's How You Can Avoid Them, Experts Say

Carmen Reinicke -

Internet scams perpetrated by fake lovers in the United States during the pandemic have skyrocketed to a record $547 million, according to a report by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

This represents an 80% increase compared to 2020, with a median loss per person of $2,400.

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"The data doesn't tell us exactly why this is happening, but I think it's reasonable to assume that the pandemic may have contributed to driving more people onto online dating apps and social media, where they've ended up connecting with these scammers." explained Emma Fletcher, a senior data investigation at the FTC.

Since 2017, $1.3 billion in losses have been reported, more than any other type of fraud the FTC has ever tracked, according to Fletcher.

"It's a big concern," he said, adding that most people don't report these kinds of scams.

Common scams

There are frequent scams in online dating.

Many scammers will ask you for money relatively soon after matching online, including funds to buy a plane ticket to see you.

Some of these tricks are similar to what viewers saw in Netflix's online dating scam documentary,

.

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Investment scams have also increased in the past year, according to Fletcher.

These are cases where someone online gives specific investment advice and usually a link to where he should send his money.

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These scammers often pose as savvy investors giving advice to their "romantic" targets, according to Fletcher.

“[Victims] don't think they're sending money to a scammer,” she recalled.

Many scams also use cryptocurrency, a payment method that is difficult to trace.

In 2021, people lost $139 million in cryptocurrency to romance scams, with the median individual losing nearly $10,000, according to the FTC.

red flags

There are some things people who date online can do to protect themselves and avoid becoming a victim, according to Nev Schulman, host and executive producer of

MTV 's

First of all, make sure that the profile you see is not too good to be true.

Asking yourself if the profile matches the type of person you've often dated in the past is a good place to start, according to Schulman, who has partnered with Zelle to educate consumers about scams.

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"You also have to be careful around people whose lives seem mysterious," Schulman said.

"As seductive and exciting as it is, if you're going to talk to someone and potentially date them, you want to know what they're doing and where they're at," he noted.

That includes being wary if someone travels all the time and can't give details of what they're doing or why they're not available to meet.

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"It's kind of weird" not to be free when "apparently they're trying to find someone to go on a date with," he said.

"You have to ask yourself, 'What is it about this person that they don't want you to see their face or hear their voice?'" said Eva Velasquez, CEO of the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center.

Another key red flag: someone who seems to be constantly available in a way that doesn't square with what they've told you about their life or his career.

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“Unlike

, the vast majority of romance scams take place without any in-person interaction,” adds Fletcher.

If you think you've been in contact with a scammer

If something on someone's profile doesn't seem to add up, or someone asks you for money and you're not sure what to do, there are a few steps you can take that can help.

First, you can do a little due diligence by doing a reverse image search on your profile photos, Velasquez said.

This way you can see that the person is using the photos or impersonating someone else.

You may also want to tell a trusted friend or family member about the situation, Fletcher said.

Someone who doesn't feel emotionally involved will probably be better able to help you spot a scammer.

“If you're talking to people you know and those people are concerned, they should pay attention,” Fletcher said.

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If you're not sure someone is legitimate, you shouldn't send them money or gift cards either, and most importantly, be careful not to share any key personal information like login credentials or passwords, Velasquez said.

You should also report the suspicious profile to the dating platform or app you've been in contact with, he said.

If you are concerned that your identity has been stolen, you can also ask the Identity Theft Resource Center for help.

Unfortunately, if you've sent money to someone, it's highly unlikely that you'll be able to get it back.

You may be able to quickly freeze a bank account if you made a transfer, or recover charges from a credit card.

But if you sent someone money directly or invested in something that turned out to be fake, it may not go away.

“There are limitations to what you can do next,” Fletcher recalled.

“It's definitely a challenge to help any individual consumer,” she added.

This article is part of the 

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