Imagine someone taking time to build a relationship with you, only to take your money or something else of value. Romance/friendship scams are now one of the top three riskiest scams based on reports to BBB Scam Tracker in 2024. Here’s a brief description of this scam: an individual, believing he/she has made a new friend or is in a romantic relationship, agrees to send money, personal/financial information, or items of value to the perpetrator.
This scam type can impact one’s mental health and financial health. On the financial side, romance/friendship scams had the highest median dollar loss ($6,099) of all scam types.
Tips to spot this scam
Talk of trust. Scammers may spend weeks or months building a relationship with their targets. They talk about trust and its importance. This often is the first step toward asking you for money.
They are never able to meet. Be wary of someone who always has an excuse to postpone a meeting such as saying they are traveling, live overseas, or are in the military. Never send money or personal information that can be used for identity theft to someone you’ve never met in person.
Another risky scam on the rise is phishing. This scam type uses email or text message to trick somebody into revealing sensitive information that the scammer will use to gain access to bank accounts or to steal a person’s identity.
Scammers have traditionally used generic templates and information to perpetrate phishing attacks. These attempts are identifiable because they are not usually personalized to the target, and many include typos and grammatical errors. However, with more personal information being stolen from people and scammers’ increased use of artificial intelligence, phishing has become much more sophisticated. Scammers can now personalize their attacks and target many more people at once.
Tips to spot this scam
Links or buttons in unsolicited messages. Be wary of any unexpected message you receive, even if the sender claims to be somebody you trust, such as your bank or another institution. If you believe the message is legitimate, contact the business/organization directly or go to your account to confirm the details.
They ask for personal information. Always do your research before sharing any personal information with somebody, whether it is over the phone or via the internet.
They ask to gain access to your computer to help you fix it. Scammers pretending to be tech support offer to fix your computer if you give them access. Once they gain access, they will steal your information and possibly download malware/ransomware onto the device. Hang up and call somebody you know and trust for help.
Help is available
A new online resource is now available for scam survivors. The BBB Scam Survival Toolkit connects scam victims with the resources they need to restore their financial, mental, and emotional well-being. Visit BBB.org/ScamSurvivalKit.
Report a scam
If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, please report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. BBB Scam Tracker is a free tool anyone can use to report suspected scams. Your scam report is shared with BBB’s fraud-fighting partners and the public to help others avoid losing money.
