Avoid Romance Scammers

Tips to help you protect your assets against the fraudsters.

Fraudsters develop fake online profiles on dating apps and other social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. They then reach out to people on the apps and attempt to develop a relationship. The scammer may claim to live in another country, but they are interested in meeting and taking the relationship to another level. They may also suggest you move your “relationship” to a private channel like email or a chat app. When the time is right, the fraudster poses an urgent request for money, and requests you send money via gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or crypto assets.

How to Protect Yourself

Know the red flags of romance scams:

Be wary of anyone asking for you to send money in gift cards, crypto assets, or through wire transfer.
The person tries to move the relationship too fast.
Investigate – ask for credentials and validate them for anyone you meet online who claims to be a financial expert in crypto assents and wants to teach you how to buy/trade crypto assets.
Check the profile picture on a reverse image search to see if it has been used before.