AARP Urges Vigilance Against Romance Scams This Valentine's Day
Friday, February 9, 2024
HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Romance scams are more prevalent than ever, and they target individuals of all backgrounds and ages.
In this age of digital connectivity, many people are forming friendships and potential love interests through social media, mobile game apps, and online dating sites. While these platforms can be wonderful ways to meet new people, it's crucial to remember that not everyone online has good intentions.
"On the one hand, online dating sites, social media, and mobile game apps have made connecting easier than ever," says David Kalinoski, Associate Director of Outreach for AARP Pennsylvania, "but the internet is full of scammers eager to take advantage of lonely hearts, and their ranks are growing."
These are some key things to look for to help identify a potential scam:
-- While playing an online game, perusing your social media feed, or
looking at prospective partners on dating apps or sites, up pops an
invitation to connect.
-- You decide to accept the invitation and find yourself communicating with
this new friend a lot, and they suggest you move to another mode of
communication.
-- A romantic relationship develops quickly, and there are plausible
reasons you don't get to meet in person - they are working abroad or
serving in the military in another country, or perhaps COVID keeps you
from getting together.
-- Eventually, requests for money begin. Or, more recently, the love
interest professes skill in investing in cryptocurrency and suggests you
invest along with them.
-- The "relationship" ends when the fake love interest disappears or you
realize it was a scam.
AARP Pennsylvania volunteer Kate Kleinert knows firsthand what happens when you're too trustworthy with strangers online. Since being scammed online for $39,000, Kleinert has made it her mission to educate older Americans about romance scams.
"We need to change attitudes about romance scams, and it needs to be made more public," says Kleinert. "This can easily happen to anyone."
It's important to know that romance fraud can happen to people of all ages and is not exclusive to young people. The FTC says that 70,000 people reported romance scams in 2022 alone with total losses of $1.3 billion.
What are some red flags?
When it comes to red flags, the request for money is definitely a big one, but typically there are other indicators that appear along the way. They can include:
-- Relationships that develop quickly
-- Requests to move off the platform where you first connected
-- Never getting to meet in person.
Tips
-- Use caution when meeting new people online; it's too easy for shady
people to pretend to be someone they aren't.
-- If you have a photo of this love interest, use your browser's image
search feature to see if it is associated with anyone else.
-- If you are ever asked for money from somebody you've only met online,
chances that it is fraud are extremely high.
-- Cut off contact immediately if you suspect a scam.
-- Notify the platform on which the initial contact took place.
-- Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline to talk with a trained and
empathetic specialist who will help you understand what happened and
guide you on steps to take.
-- Consider posting your experience on AARP's Scam Tracker Map
www.aarp.org/scammap to help warn others.
When it comes to fraud, vigilance is our number one weapon. You have the power to protect yourself and your loved ones from scams. To learn more, visit
About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.
MEDIA CONTACT:
TJ Thiessen | 717-381-7420 | tthiessen@aarp.org
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aarp-urges-vigilance-against-romance-scams-this-valentines-day-302051002.html
SOURCE AARP Pennsylvania
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Identiv Completes Thailand Manufacturing Transition, Unlocking Next-Generation Multicomponent Manufacturing for Advanced IoT Solutions | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Global Cyber Alliance Identifies Five Cybersecurity Forces That Defined 2025 - And Will Shape 2026 | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
LG ELECTRONICS INTRODUCES 2026 LG GRAM LINEUP ELEVATED BY AEROMINUM | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
New Report Names States Most Vulnerable to Holiday Scams | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Android Mobile Adware Surges in Second Half of 2025 | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Guardz 2025 SMB Cybersecurity Report: Nearly 50% of U.S. Small Businesses Have Been Hit by Cyber Attack | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
pgEdge Announces pgEdge Agentic AI Toolkit for Postgres | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Truvista Fiber Acquires SlyTel | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Healthcare Industry Executives are Likely to be Personal Targets of Cybercrime | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Breakthrough Progress: METiS TechBio Publishes Consecutive Research Findings in Nature Communications and the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
|
