NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Today is Valentine's Day and while love is in the air for some, others are still out there looking to find their perfect match.
Crooks are working overtime and cashing in on the dating market.
Unfortunately, these kinds of scams are not only becoming more common, but easier and more elaborate across all age groups.
The FBI reports in 2021 alone at least 24,000 people were duped. They lost $1 billion dollars due to romance scams.
Experts say criminals are shifting away from wire transfers and gift cards, a usual sign of a scam. Now, they want cryptocurrency because it's not government regulated, there are no safeguards and you can't track it.
So what should you look out for?
If you're on the apps, be on the lookout for "love bombers". Those are the people who profess instant love and gratification toward you in a short period of time. Then they typically claim they need money for a medical emergency or accident.
Many victims have also reported thinking they found love with a service member, who claims to be too busy to talk over the phone because they're overseas but will ask for gifts or crypto frequently.
To verify who you're talking to, you can right-click on the photo and search for it on Google Images. Always google the person's name, and even do a search on Facebook.
If you do find out you've been talking to a scammer, report it here.
