Each year, millions of elderly Americans are targeted by scammers who use a variety of deceptive tactics to con them out of their savings. Of the nearly 800,000 complaints made to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2020, 28 percent were from seniors who lost a collective $1 Billion to scammers. To help keep seniors informed, the FBI is highlighting common scams. In part 1 of a 4-part series, Cassidy Taylor outlines how scammers manipulate using the power of love…
Using a “romance” scam, criminals pose as interested romantic partners through dating websites. The scammers build trust with their elder victims, often communicating several times each day. Then, soon after, they make up a story and ask for money by wire transfer, reload debit cards, or gift cards; usually to pay for alleged travel expenses, medical expenses, or personal debts. The bottom line: never send money to a partner you have not met in person, no matter how compelling their argument. If you believe you have fallen victim to a romance scam, contact law enforcement immediately.
More information:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-you-need-know-about-romance-scams
