Online daters lost $ 547 millions to romance scammers
By APasserBy
@LittleMel (8742)
Canada
March 11, 2022 1:13pm CST
Most people do not report this kind of losses. Investing scams, where scammers pretend to be savvy investors giving specific investment advice and a link to send the money, also increased last year.
Reported losses due to romance scams : 87M in 2017, 145M in 2018, 202M in 2019, 307M in 2020, 547M in 2021.
Have you ever been suspicious about someone you met online? Did you try to find out more about this person, or did you just avoid/block him/her?
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/08/online-daters-lost-a-record-547-million-to-scams-in-2021.html
7 people like this
6 responses
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
11 Mar 22
If like you say, that most people don't report this kind of loss and reported losses totaled 547M, the total losses could be over a billion dollars. People are idiots to fall for romance scams with people they meet online. I am suspicious of everyone I meet online.
2 people like this
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
11 Mar 22
Yes the actual losses must be much bigger. Unlike investment scams, romance scam victims usually are too embarrassed to report it.
1 person likes this
@Vikingswest1 (6304)
• United States
11 Mar 22
@LittleMel
Honest?
They SHOULD be embarrassed.
If I need to buy a starter for my truck, I check out every place locally and online for the best deal.
I don't want to get taken for even ten dollars.
Anytime people spend or invest money, they should do the homework before investing.
It's no different for romance scams.
They didn't do their homework.
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
12 Mar 22
@Vikingswest1 We all make mistakes. When people are emotionally vulnerable, they can be easily taken advantage of. They should still report it, regardless embarrassed or not. Investment scam victims usually report, it's romance scam victims that should not let embarrassment stop them from reporting, otherwise the same scammers will continue scamming more people.
1 person likes this
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
12 Mar 22
That's right. Sometimes the scam victims ask their family and friends to help with the money to send, so now the victim is cheated out of their feelings and their pockets, and now they owe money to family and friends, and they may have lost their homes as well
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
24 Apr 22
I soon become suspicious if they ask for money or seem to be after a green card. That's when I drop them.
@kaylachan (71762)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
11 Mar 22
Block them. When I tell them I am married, and act like I didn't say a thing, It's not worth my time.
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
11 Mar 22
They destroy relationship as well, for some people the emotional damage is even worse than the loss of money.
@Deepizzaguy (104150)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
11 Mar 22
I do not go on dating sites. If I did get into one, I would be very suspicious since it is better to play it safe giving out information to a stranger online.
2 people like this
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
11 Mar 22
Dating sites, social media, gaming sites - anywhere online large amount of people meet/socialize
1 person likes this
