Our view: In the mood for love? First, beware of this
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, February 13, 2024
For many people, the FOMO is especially difficult, and especially on a holiday such as Valentine’s Day. But for all of us, the fear of missing out isn’t the worst thing that can happen on that special day. Think more about your bank accounts being drained and your life completely upended due to identity theft. Or worse.
Enter: romance scams.
“Valentine’s Day provides a timely reminder for the public to not fall prey to criminals using love to scam their way into their victims’ hearts for monetary gain,” says Demetrius Hardeman, acting special agent in charge at the IRS’s Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office.
He’s right.
To avoid becoming a victim, on Valentine’s and every other day, people need to be aware of the telltale signs that they are being manipulated.
Those signs are included in timely suggestions from the field office.
Tips to avoid romance scams
• Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone.
• Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
• Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name or details have been used elsewhere.
• Go slowly, and ask lots of questions.
• Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate directly.
• Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.
• Beware if the individual promises to meet in person but then always comes up with an excuse why he or she can’t. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious.
As for the worse? Many scammers don’t act alone and can often be part of criminal actions such as human trafficking, gambling or loansharking.
We may be in the mood for love, but scammers are in the mood for much more and with nefarious intentions.
Don’t become a victim. But if you feel you have been part of such a scam, contact local authorities and federal officials immediately. One good place to start is with the IRS CI Atlanta Field Office at atlantafieldoffice@ci.irs.gov.
CNHI News Service