DONALDSON HAS THE SIGNS YOU NEED TO KNOW TO AVOID BEING SCAMMED. REPORTER: IT’S A BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY, NOT VALENTINES DAY GIFTS, BUT ROMANCE SCAMS. >> WHERE A ROMANCE SCAM DIFFERS THAN OTHERS, LOTS OF CONVERSATION, TEXT MESSAGING, MAYBE PHONE CALLS, COULD EVEN BE FACETIME, USUALLY NOT, BUT LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS. REPORTER: ROMANCE SCAMMERS ARE USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO FIND THEIR VICTIMS, LOVE BOMB THEM, AND RUN OFF WITH THEIR MONEY. >> ONCE THEY DO THAT AND THEY ESTABLISH TRUST, ESTABLISH I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU, HAVE RELATIONSHIPS, THEY TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR FAMILY, THEY TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR LIVES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY NEED MONEY. REPORTER: ANGIE BARNETT WITH THE BBB OF GREATER MARYLAND SAYS SCAMMERS WILL MAKE UP A PLAUSIBLE, EMOTIONAL REASON WHY YOU NEED TO SEND THEM MONEY, LIKE AN ACCIDENT OR FAMILY EMERGENCY. >> THEY’RE GOING AND SAYING, I WANT TO BUILD A FUTURE WITH YOU, AND THEY’LL GIVE A REASON WHY YOU NEED TO INVEST IN CRYPTOCURRENCY. SO, THEY’LL SEND YOU ALL THE INFORMATION, AND OF COURSE ONCE YOU INVEST IN THAT CRYPTO, YOU WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT ACCOUNT, YOU’VE LOST THE MONEY, THEY CAN ACCESS IT, AND THEY DRAIN IT. REPORTER: SCENARIOS WHERE YOU CAN’T GET YOUR MONEY BACK AND HAVE NO RECOURSE, INCLUDING THE SUGAR MOMMA SCAM. >> THEY’LL OFFER TO PAY FOR YOUR COMPANIONSHIP, AND THEY’RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY TYPES OF FAVORS, THEY’RE LITERALLY SAYING, I JUST WANT SOMEBODY TO BE PART OF MY I’M GOING TO SEND YOU A CHECK, AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS DEPOSIT THAT CHECK. REPORTER: THEN, SCAMMERS ASK YOU TO SEND MONEY TO A PERSON OR ORGANIZATION. BUT THEY TAKE THE MONEY AND ARE -- AND YOU ARE LEFT WITH THEIR BOUNCED CHECK AND NO MONEY. >> THE FBI ESTIMATES, AT ANY ONE TIME, 250,000 PEOPLE ARE ONLINE SEARCHING. 25,000 PEOPLE ARE ONLINE PRETENDING TO BE SOMEONE THEY’RE NOT. REPORTER: BARNETT SAYS ROMANCE SCAMS SHOULD BE REPORTED TO THE FBI. HOWEVER, MANY PEOPLE DON’T, BELIEVING THE ROMANCE WAS REAL, OF MONEY. IN BALTIMORE, I’M JENYNE DONALDSON, FOR WBAL TV 11 NEWS
'Romance scams' costing potential lovers big bucks
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Updated: 7:12 AM EST Feb 14, 2023
Online romance scams targeting the vulnerable are costing potential lovers money, especially this time of year."Where a romance scam differs than others (is there are) lots of conversation, text messaging, maybe phone calls, could even be FaceTime, but usually lots of conversations," said Angie Barnett, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland.Romance scammers are using social media to find their victims, tricking them with a "Love Bomb" and running off with their money. "Once they do that and they establish trust, establish 'I'm in love with you,' have relationships, they tell you about their family, they tell you about their lives -- and, all of a sudden, they need money," Barnett said. She said scammers will make up a plausible, emotional reason you need to send them money, like an accident or family emergency."They're going and saying, 'I want to build a future with you,' and they'll give a reason why you need to invest in cryptocurrency. So, they'll send you all the information, and of course, once you invest in that crypto, you will not have access to that account, you've lost the money, they can access it and they drain it," Barnett said.There have been scenarios in which people can't get their money back and have no recourse, including the "Sugar Momma" scam."They'll offer to pay for your companionship, and they're not asking for any types of favors, they're literally saying, 'I just want somebody to be part of my life. I'm going to send you a check, and what I want you to do is deposit that check,'" Barnett said. Then, scammers ask people to send money to a person or organization but then take the money, and victims are left with their bounced check and no money. "The FBI estimates, at any one time, 250,000 people are online searching -- 25,000 people are online pretending to be somebody they're not," Barnett said.Barnett said romance scams should be reported to the FBI; however, many people don't report it, believing the romance was real even if they're out large sums of money.The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center said it received more than 19,000 complaints about confidence/romance scams in 2022 with reported losses of almost $740 million.
BALTIMORE — Online romance scams targeting the vulnerable are costing potential lovers money, especially this time of year.
"Where a romance scam differs than others (is there are) lots of conversation, text messaging, maybe phone calls, could even be FaceTime, but usually lots of conversations," said Angie Barnett, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland.
Romance scammers are using social media to find their victims, tricking them with a "Love Bomb" and running off with their money.
"Once they do that and they establish trust, establish 'I'm in love with you,' have relationships, they tell you about their family, they tell you about their lives -- and, all of a sudden, they need money," Barnett said.
She said scammers will make up a plausible, emotional reason you need to send them money, like an accident or family emergency.
"They're going and saying, 'I want to build a future with you,' and they'll give a reason why you need to invest in cryptocurrency. So, they'll send you all the information, and of course, once you invest in that crypto, you will not have access to that account, you've lost the money, they can access it and they drain it," Barnett said.
There have been scenarios in which people can't get their money back and have no recourse, including the "Sugar Momma" scam.
"They'll offer to pay for your companionship, and they're not asking for any types of favors, they're literally saying, 'I just want somebody to be part of my life. I'm going to send you a check, and what I want you to do is deposit that check,'" Barnett said.
Then, scammers ask people to send money to a person or organization but then take the money, and victims are left with their bounced check and no money.
"The FBI estimates, at any one time, 250,000 people are online searching -- 25,000 people are online pretending to be somebody they're not," Barnett said.
Barnett said romance scams should be reported to the FBI; however, many people don't report it, believing the romance was real even if they're out large sums of money.
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center said it received more than 19,000 complaints about confidence/romance scams in 2022 with reported losses of almost $740 million.
