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Romance Scam - Phishing at its peak

 

Technology has brought about a change in how we interact with the world. Online dating, in particular has ushered in a new trend. Providing anonymity and exclusivity, this can act as a double-edged sword or the breeding ground for some conmen. 

Modus operandi is simple. Sell a fantasy of everlasting love. In return, empty one's bank deposits and life savings.


Out for Love.....

Starts with an unsuspicious friend or dating request. The scammer throws his net wide and lures in the victim. 

Next a repo is built through online chat and voice calls, appearing casual, and innocent in nature.

The victim is made to believe he or she is the center of attention. This follows up with small gifts, to enforce the fantasy.

Once trust gets built, the scammer initiates the next phase. The chat becomes more personal, usually in the form of a tragic story, or financial tip. 

"Invest in a cryptocurrency which has bright future" or "Lost travel documents and stranded in a foreign land. Need cash urgently ".  

The scammer will use all tricks in the book from imploring to veiled threats. 

Once payment is done, the connection is lost and the hunt for the next prey begins.


Why me.....

We live in an era where abrupt changes have become the norm. When shifting to a new place either for job or other reasons, we live behind our family and friends.

This sudden uprooting can affect our mental and emotional state, triggering a sense of loneliness.

Some of us grapple with it for many years, unable to find meaningful connections. This forms the base fodder for romance scams. Conmen use this opportunity to infiltrate into our digital and eventually, personal life. 

They know exactly which emotional button to push and, since we yearn for love, all red flags get ignored. 


Experiences....

Romance scams though being a serious offence, reached mainstream media only recently. This was due to number of reported incidences, were apart from financial ruins, cases of suicides surfaced.

A woman after accepting a friend request from a retired US Army Colonel, got scammed by putting all her life savings in an unknown cryptocurrency. The scammer had impersonated himself behind a fake social media profile, with stolen pictures.

Another case where a man in his late 50s was dupped of life savings by a scammer posing as a famous super model. The scam left a heavy toll on the man's psyche, resulting in his demise, few years later.


What to do....


As there are real genuine connections, so would be a fair share of psychopaths or conmen.

A few guidelines below can help us avert the scammers.

  • Be on guard when meeting new acquaintance, especially in online dating. As said earlier, it is easy to create a fake social media account with convincing pictures. Always insist on in person video call, before making any commitments
  • Look for loopholes in the story. "A millionaire who is always broke. The model, or famous pop artist who is always busy when a video call is scheduled." 
  • Any person providing insider tip on trading, or cryptocurrency always harbors a malicious intent.  


Loneliness is indeed a silent epidemic. Being the root cause of this scam, it can be rectified by joining a support group, volunteering or consultation with a psychologist. Though hard initially, can work for the better.

Stay healthy, stay safe.  


Additional information

https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/beware-online-dating-scams

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/keeping-safe/fraud/romance-fraud

 



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