The internet has transformed the way we communicate and connect with people all over the world. Social media platforms, dating sites, and chat rooms have made it easier than ever to meet new people and form relationships. Unfortunately, some dishonest individuals use these platforms to scam innocent people out of their money. This particular scam is known as the online romance partner scam, the romance scam, or the sweetheart scam.
With the increasing popularity of cryptocurrency, scammers have started using it as a way to receive payments from unsuspecting victims. This makes it all the easier to connect with and send money to people you don't know.
While this scam isn’t new, crypto makes it easier to be successful.
The online romance partner scam typically starts when someone creates a fake profile on a dating site, social media platform, or chat room. They pretend to be someone they're not, often using stock photos of someone attractive to lure in their victim.
They often make up stories to build trust with their victims. They then start communicating with their victim through the platform, usually using flattery and compliments to gain their trust. They may even message the victim outside of the dating app, using something like WhatsApp or social media, claim it was a mistake, and then strike up a conversation.
Unfortunately, crypto romance scams aren’t even obvious. These scammers take a lot of time building and maintaining a relationship until the victim feels comfortable enough to share wallet information or send crypto.
How long it takes to scam someone varies, but the scammer may spend months grooming their victim, flattering them, and sharing with them the many benefits of buying crypto. In some cases, the scammer will target someone who is unfamiliar with crypto but who may want to start building a crypto portfolio. They’ll even walk their “love interest” through making their first crypto purchase on a legitimate platform.
Along the same lines as walking the victim through purchasing their very first crypto, scammers may also have the victim set up an account on what seems like a legitimate crypto site. These sites look real, but a fellow scammer actually controls them.
Scammers convince victims of lucrative returns, liquidity mining, or liquidity pools. Once the victim is convinced to participate, they enter their information on this scammer’s site, giving the scammer access to wallet information or inadvertently purchasing a coin controlled by the scammer.
Unfortunately, crypto wallets can be confusing for beginners, which is what makes them so susceptible to this scam. Crypto wallets don’t tell the user what they’re about to sign, and red flags can be near to impossible to identify.
That’s why it’s so important to approach any crypto transactions with caution, especially if you’ve been directed to it by someone you don’t know.
So, your online romance partner doesn’t seem to want to meet you. That should be your first clue that this may be a scam. They refuse to meet via Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, or in person. That’s probably because they’re not who they say they are.
It's important to note that anyone can be a victim of the online romance partner scam, regardless of age, gender, or background. If you're using an online dating site or social media platform to meet new people, it's important to be cautious and vigilant.
One quick trick you can use to see if their online photos are legitimate is to download any of their pictures and do a reverse image lookup using Google. Any matches Google finds will indicate that it’s a stock photo.
Anyone seriously interested in building a relationship with someone they met online should take the time to get to know them in person. This can help weed out any potential scammers as well as ensure that both parties are genuinely interested in each other. By taking these precautions, you can protect yourself from online romance scamming and form real relationships with genuine people.
Unfortunately, these victims get scammed because they are too trusting of people they haven’t met in person. This stems from a feeling of loneliness or desperation to find someone who will love and accept them. Victims rarely get their money back. In some cases, the scammers may even keep in contact with their victims after they’ve taken all of their money, leading them to believe that they’re still in a relationship and more money can be sent.
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