Associated Incidents
PHOENIX --- Valentine's Day is on Friday, presenting a ripe opportunity for Arizonans to get got by romance scams.
There are several tactics scammers will use to prey on people looking for love during a lonely time, but there are even more ways you can get knowledgeable to avoid disaster.
"We all love love but often, the person at the other end of the app or website is really a romance scammer trying to take advantage of your trust and your savings," Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a press release. "Scammers are very good at earning trust and then exploiting that trust to convince victims to send them money.
"I urge Arizonans to learn the warning signs of romance scammers to protect yourself and your bank account."
How to avoid romance scams
Romance scammers are known to use online dating sites to prey on people.
They will often lie about their circumstances and ask for money to alleviate an issue with themselves, a friend or a relative.
Scammers will also dole out bogus investment advice in an effort to get you to send the money.
Here are the Arizona Attorney General's Office's top warning signs that someone you're talking to online is a romance scammer:
- Someone who is quick to profess their love.
- Someone who pretends to be a hero, such as a soldier, in a faraway place.
- Someone who continuously makes plans to meet in person but never follows through.
- Someone who makes a sudden request for money to deal with an emergency.
- Someone who asks you to wire them money, put money onto gift cards and give them the PIN codes, or send them money through a money transfer app or cryptocurrency.
If any of these sound like a situation you've been in, it's likely a scam.
Finding out a connection is actually a scam too late could be equally detrimental, so here are some tips on what to avoid doing:
- Do not send money, including wiring funds, gift cards or cryptocurrency to a stranger or someone you just met on a dating app or social media platform.
- Be careful when sharing personal information on social media platforms. Scam artists use details shared on social media platforms to better target victims.
- Watch for inconsistencies in a person's story or lack of information about their background.
- Talk to family and friends if you are unsure about someone.
- If you believe your relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately.
- Trust your instincts. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Anyone who believes they've been a victim of a romance scam can file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
For those who believe they're a victim of consumer fraud, you can file a complaint online through the AG's office.