The number of romance scams has increased over the years due to the increase in different dating websites, ads, a rise in technology, and so much more. Scammers have also learned new and innovative ways to scam people and make them trust them.
Romance scams happen when people get tricked into believing that they are in a beautiful and romantic relationship with the person they met through the dating website. The scammers tell them how much they love them and make them trust the scammer. However, the person is actually a cybercriminal who uses a fake name and fake pictures to contact you. The scammer then tricks you and asks you for money.
The Most Common Romance Scams of 2022 Identified by Global Payback
Here are some of the top romance scams of 2022:
1- Fake dating websites
Dating websites claim to be safe and secure however that is not always the case. Sure, these websites do a thorough check when someone signs up but some scammers are extremely clever and get past that. These websites are filled with different scammers who just want money from you. They get all your information through these websites and then approach you either through the website or somewhere else.
2- Photo Scams
These scams are quite common on different social media channels. What happens is that a scammer convinces the victim to send personal information that in return they would send intimate photos. Once the scammer gets your personal information, you do not get any pictures and they disappear and block you. The next thing you know is that your cards get charged, etc. At times, they even ask for money and promise to send pictures to you.
3- Military Romance Scams
Military romance scams are the ones when the scammer acts as a military member who is deployed. They take their time, makeup stories of their time in the army, and use military titles so that you can completely trust them. Once you do, they hit the jackpot. They ask you for money related to military expenses such as flights to go back home, money for food due to shortage on borders, etc.
Online Dating Stats You Should be Aware off
Dating scams are on the rise and do not seem to slow down anytime soon. Some of the online dating stats are:
1- Half of the romance scams that were reported in 2019 were through social media channels, mostly Facebook, and Instagram. In the half of 2022, victims lost around $117 million.
2- In 2020, people reported losing $304 in online dating scams, which was 9 times higher compared to 2015.
3- On average, a single person lost about $2500 to an online scam in 2020.
Who to Reach Out To In The Event That You Get Scammed?
When you are scammed, it feels like the end of the world. You do not feel like doing anything at all and just want to stay alone. However, this is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Did you know that you could actually get all your money back when scammed? Well, I didn’t believe that was possible until my friend told me about her experience with Global Payback. I cannot explain how amazing their work is. When my friend got scammed, it felt like it was the end of the world and I was truly concerned about her.
However, she was strong enough to do her research, found Global Payback, and got in touch with them. The company did the entire thing on its own and was fully considerate of my friend’s feelings. They were not only helping her out but were there for her emotionally as well and I am so thankful to them for that. They made sure my friend got all her money back and that is exactly what happened. Couldn’t thank them enough.
