Charlotte FBI Warns Of Love Scams, Offers Tips To Avoid

CHARLOTTE, NC — With Valentine's Day just days away, love is in the air, which also means would-be scammers are searching for potential victims.

The quest for finding love has been costly for those who have fallen victim to romance scams in recent years. In 2019, for example, more than 25,000 consumers reported losses of $201 million to the Federal Trade Commission, all lost through romance scams.

"Online imposters can break your heart and empty your bank account," the FBI Charlotte field office said Tuesday, via social media. "If someone you've never met is saying all the right things, that is a red flag!"

Scammers frequent most dating sites and social media sites, often adopting a fake online identity to gain a potential victim's affection, the FBI said.

"The scammer’s intention is to establish a relationship as quickly as possible, endear himself to the victim, and gain trust," the FBI said. "Scammers may propose marriage and make plans to meet in person, but that will never happen. Eventually, they will ask for money."

Con artists will often claim to be working outside the U.S., such as in the military, for an international organization or in the construction industry.

"That makes it easier to avoid meeting in person—and more plausible when they ask for money for a medical emergency or unexpected legal fee," the FBI said.

Scammers often ask for money to pay for travel or medical expenses, of to pay for customs fees, and request it be sent through money wires or reloading banking or gift cards, the FTC said.

"Scammers ask you to pay by wiring money, with reload cards, or with gift cards because they can get cash quickly and remain anonymous," the FTC said. "They also know the transactions are almost impossible to reverse."

Here are the FBI's tips for avoiding romance scams:

• Be careful what you post and make public online. 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 lots of questions.
• Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate directly.
• Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.
• Beware if the individual promises to meet in person but then always comes up with an excuse why he or she can’t. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious.
• Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone.

Here's What the FTC says about reporting a romance scam:

• If you paid a romance scammer with a gift card, contact the company that issued the card right away. Tell them you paid a scammer with the gift card and ask if they can refund your money.
• If you think it’s a scam, report it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. Notify the website or app where you met the scammer, too.