Illinoisans Lost $14 Million In Romance Scams In 2020, Study Says

ILLINOIS — With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, federal officials are warning Illinois residents to be aware of potential scams that target people seeking love and who are often victimized by people out to use romance as a way of stealing money.

A new study by the Internet Complaint Center shows that in Illinois, victims of these scams lost more than $14 million in 2020 when 688 victims of crimes of the heart were taken advantage of by scammers.

In the fraudulent activity, criminals use the prospect of friendship or a dating relationship to target people with the intent of making out with cash. In total, the study shows Illinois victims of these crimes ended up forking over $14,036,350 in 2020, which has caused state and federal agencies to encourage residents to remain on the look-out for possible frauds.

The romance scam may play on the loneliness of older Americans, according to AARP, whose research shows a common theme among people targeted in romance scams — they had recently experienced a negative event, whether the loss of a spouse or job, or a financial setback. Swindlers get that information by scanning obituaries, online and offline documents, or even by going through people’s trash.

Skepticism is healthy before entering into an online relationship, the FBI said. Some red flags:

• After initial contact on a legitimate dating site, the person attempts to communicate by email or messaging services.
• The person claims to be from the United States but lives or is traveling abroad.
• The person claims the relationship is “destiny” or “fate.”
• The person reports a personal crisis and exerts pressure for financial help.
• The person disappears suddenly, then reappears under a different name.
• The person asks for goods or money before an in-person meeting.

Some tips to protect yourself:

• Never send money or wire transfers to someone you meet online.
• Never share banking or credit card information with anyone whose identity you haven’t verified.
• Never share your Social Security number or other personally identifiable information with anyone who doesn’t need that information for legitimate reasons.
• Be mindful of what you post on social media posts and your general online presence. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
• Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name or details have been used elsewhere.
• Go slowly and ask the other person lots of questions.

Americans’ growing comfort with online platforms has opened new avenues for chiselers, experts say.

“More and more Americans are generally more comfortable meeting online for platonic and romantic relationships, and these scams are following them, whether it's apps or social media sending them friend requests or instant messages on Facebook saying, ‘I’m in love with you’ and then asking for money,” Kathy Stokes, the director of AARP’s Fraud Prevention Program, told Patch in 2019 for a story about scams targeting older Americans.

Related: Scammers Are Scaring And Extorting Millions From Your Aging Parents

Making it worse, many people — especially those who are older — are reluctant to admit they’ve been scammed for fear they’ll be seen as naive or incompetent.

“For people who are relatively well-educated and think they’re savvy, it’s very demoralizing and shameful to admit they fell for something,” Stokes said. “We as a society blame victims of scams in a way we don’t blame other crime victims. We need to flip the narrative — ‘this happened to me and I’m empowered to tell my story so others won’t feel the same embarrassment.’ ”

Anyone who believes they’re the victim of the romance scam should report the activity to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Also, the FBI said, one of the first calls people who have been swindled should make is to their banks, credit unions and credit card companies. They should also report it to the website or application where contact began.