THE INTERNET IS DANGEROUS? –

June 4, 2024 – Romance scams affect thousands of people each year. In 2022 alone, nearly 70,000 individuals in the United States reported falling victim to these scams, resulting in a staggering $1.3 billion in losses, according to the Federal Trade Commission. This represents a 78% increase from 2020. As Dr. Louise Stanger, a renowned expert in the field, points out, “These scams can happen to anyone, regardless of their intelligence or education level. 

Stanger, the founder of All About Interventions, was part of a think tank in March 2021, “Addressing the Challenge of Chronic Fraud Victimization: Understanding the drivers of chronic fraud victimization and identifying key intervention strategies.” The think tank set out to better understand the problem of chronic fraud victimization and potential points of intervention to assist victims or prevent victimization.

Social media platforms have become a common starting point for romance scams, with 40% of victims in the previous year reporting to the FTC that their initial contact with the scammer began on these sites. Dating websites and apps were the second most frequent origin, accounting for 19% of romance scam cases. In many instances, scammers quickly shifted their communication to messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Google Chat, or Telegram.

Romance scams typically start like any other online relationship, with the victim meeting someone online who seems like the perfect partner. The scammer is charming, attentive, and says all the right things to make the victim feel special and loved. However, as the relationship progresses, red flags start to appear.

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