This Valentine's Day, the FBI is warning about an increase in romance scams targeting vulnerable people seeking online relationships. These scams often start innocently on dating sites or social media but quickly escalate to requests for money or sensitive information.
According to the FBI’s recent report, romance scam complaints rose to 19,000 in 2022, with losses exceeding $739 million. "Most commonly, the perpetrators are men targeting women over 40 who are divorced, widowed, elderly, or disabled," the warning states.
The scammers build trust before making up elaborate stories to convince victims to send money. "Scammers often use emotional pleas and stories of despair to trick you into believing their story of need," the FBI said.
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Cybersecurity experts warn these tactics are becoming more advanced with the use of new technology. "With more advanced AI capabilities in the hands of cybercriminals, the threat is that romance scams can be automated at scale," said Bud Broomhead, CEO at Viakoo.
Patrick Harr, CEO at SlashNext, said that generative AI is already being used to modify video and voice content to support scammers' fake personas. Just last week, a finance clerk working at a Hong Kong branch of a large multinational corporation fell victim to an elaborate scam utilizing deepfake technology to impersonate senior executives and swindle more than $25 million.
The FBI and experts urge exercising extreme caution with online relationships. "It’s important to avoid sharing personal information on a website if you cannot validate its legitimacy, and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," Harr said.
If you suspect an online romance is a scam, stop communicating with them immediately and report it to authorities. Protect yourself and your loved ones from heartbreak this Valentine's Day by being vigilant against romance scams.
If you, or someone you know, has been impacted by cybercrime, report it to law enforcement via the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
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