JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Valentine’s Day is one week away and the FBI is warning people to watch out for romance scams.
According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, Floridians lost more than $70 million to frauds like romance scams in 2021.
Common red flags to watch out for include the scammer making a promise to meet in person but giving an excuse as to why they can’t.
Also, asking or money. The crook will ask for cash once they gain your trust. Typically, they explain they have an owed debt, or they ask for money to travel to see you.
The scammer will also request money through methods that make it hard to be traced and hard to get back like gift cards.
Here are some suggestions to protect yourself from these scams: First, be careful what you post and make public online.
If you suspect a scam, stop communicating with the person immediately.
Also if the person sends you a picture of themself try a reverse image search of the person’s photo. If it is associated with another name or profile, it is very likely a scam.
And never send money to someone you have only communicated with online or by phone.