Romance scams can happen to anyone at any age at any time. If you, a friend or relative has recently started a new online relationship, Information Technology Services recommends looking for any of the following red flags.
● Requesting money. Imposters may pressure you into sending money for “urgent” matters such as medical expenses, trips to see you or payments like pre-loaded gift cards or wire transfers. Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.
● Reluctance to meet. Imposters may often break promises to see you in person, or may claim to live far away or be in the military. When you do get together, meet in a public place, and let someone know where you will be and what time you will be home.
● Moving too fast. Imposters often profess their love for you quickly. They may attempt to isolate you from family and friends or request inappropriate photos that could later be used against you. Remember, don’t overshare.
● Pressure to leave a dating app. Imposters usually pressure you to move off the dating platform where you met or ask to continue the conversation through text. Dating platforms search for imposters, so they move victims offline fast to avoid detection.
Falling for a scam is nothing to be ashamed of. Help protect others from becoming victims by speaking out, reporting scams to dating sites and encouraging others to do the same. ITS has more tips to Defend Your Data .