Oct. 3 is romance fraud awareness day and the FBI’s Phoenix bureau took to X to share a message: Not everyone who uses online dating sites is looking for love.
As the popularity of online dating has skyrocketed some have been left with an empty bank account.
According to the 2023 FBI Internet Crime Report , Arizona residents were robbed of nearly $325 million due to cyber scams. That overall loss was the 8th most in the country out of the top 10 states by loss.
The FBI-run Internet Crime Complaint Center is the lead federal agency for investigating cybercrime . The center received upwards of 16,000 complaints out of Arizona in 2023.
Romance scammers prey on people’s vulnerability and desire for connection. They often seem genuine, caring and believable. By creating the illusion of a close relationship, the scammer is able to gain the trust of their victim and steal from them.
These con artists avoid in-person interactions with victims, usually by citing construction work outside of the U.S. With this type of backstory, the victim is more inclined to help when the scammer asks for money to cover medical or legal fees.