Romance Scams are one of the fastest-growing scams right now involves fraudsters posing as members of the military stationed overseas. These scammers often create profiles on dating apps, hoping to prey on your sense of patriotism.
Scammers typically steal real military service members’ names and photos for their fake profiles. You can often spot the scam if you find the same photo on several profiles across different dating apps or social media platforms.
If you meet someone on social media or a dating website or app, take steps to verify their identity:
- Do a reverse image search of the profile picture.
- Search their name online with keywords like “scam” and “imposter” to see if anything suspicious comes up.
Another warning sign of a romance scam is if the person quickly asks for money. They might claim it’s for an investment or to help them get home. If they request the money through gift cards, a payment app, or Bitcoin, you’re likely about to be scammed.