Romance scams occur when criminals assume fake online identities to gain the love and trust of their victims. Scammers then use the illusion of a romantic or intimate relationship to manipulate and/or steal from their victims. Criminals who carry out love scams are professional in their actions and appear to be honest, caring and trustworthy. Scammers exist on most dating and social media sites. The intent of the scammer is to build a relationship with the victim, love themselves and gain their trust as quickly as possible.
Scammers can make plans by offering to meet in person, but that never happens. In the end they ask for money. Scammers often claim to be in the building and construction industry and involved in projects outside the United States. This makes it easier to avoid meeting in person and is more reasonable if you are seeking money for a medical emergency or unexpected legal fees.
DATING OR DEFRAUDING
“Deborah” struggled to meet a Spanish lumberjack on a dating site in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was 66 years old, very attractive, and eerily similar to Deborah’s late husband, who died just months before the pandemic hit. “Then I heard from outside officials,” she said. She was then introduced to her Director of Global Fraud in her Toronto office at the bank, who contacted her DHS in Los Angeles. They set out to track down Bernard and the complex criminal underworld he is believed to be involved with.
THE RISE OF ROMANCE SCAM
Loneliness, especially during COVID-19 quarantine and the development of new technologies, continue to increase romance scams. The number of seniors using the internet to date has doubled in the past three years, he said, with 12% of her aged 55-64 reportedly using mobile girlfriend dating apps. As more Americans turn to the internet for romance, scammers are following suit. Dating scams can occur to people of all ages, but are especially dangerous for older people. Romance scams are most dangerous for people in the 55-64 age group. There will be an organisation to help Romance Scam Recovery.
The senior reportedly lost her nearly $139 million to love scams in 2020. Bank transfers and payments sent in connection with love scams accounted for approximately $31 million in 2020, with seniors accounting for approximately one-third of the dollars lost. Romance scammers have also reportedly stolen a total of $12 million in cryptocurrency from seniors.
HOW HSI COMBATS ROMANCE SCAMS
Many of these love scams originated in West Africa, primarily Nigeria and Ghana. Criminal gangs use legitimate dating apps to scam people looking for love. Scammers strategically target recently widowed or divorced seniors because of their vulnerability and access to cash. HSI works closely with other departments of the US Department of Homeland Security to combat criminal gangs involved in romance scams. United States, Secret Service Customs and Border Protection, DHS Inspector General’s Office, DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service and Internal Revenue Service.
Transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) operating in the United States pose significant challenges to US law enforcement in multiple jurisdictions. To address this, HSI and its partners worked with the Department of Justice to achieve coordinated enforcement and prosecution. These efforts include law enforcement cooperation with prosecutors, foreign law enforcement partners, and the financial industry. This cooperation leads to more cooperative law enforcement efforts, which ultimately lead to the chaos and dismantling of his TCO who bullies the elderly.
CONCLUSION
Protect yourself and your elderly loved ones by raising awareness. This may be an uncomfortable topic, but make sure you, your family, and your friends are familiar with romance scams. can prepare for Stop by loved ones older than you. Scammers try to target people who live alone or are grieving the loss of a spouse. Limit what you share online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you. Mortgage recovery is suitable for the bending bank loans, home loans, car loans and gold loans.
Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to determine if the photo, name or other details have been used elsewhere Requests for inappropriate photos or financial information can later be used for blackmail. Be suspicious if you haven’t met in person Never send money to someone you have only communicated with online or over the phone.
