Romance scams have been targeting recently widowed and divorced seniors due to their vulnerabilities, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The DHS interviewed one Los Angeles woman in her late 60s who fell victim to a romance scam two years after her husband died.
She went on a seniors dating site and noticed a photo of someone who reminded her of her late husband. The fraudster depicted himself as a “Spanish lumberjack” who also lost a spouse, and over time, he convinced her to send him significant amounts of money.
In 2022, nearly 70,000 people in the US reported being victims of romance scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), with reported losses totaling $1.3 billion.
The DHS outlines various red flags in potential romance scammers that seniors should be aware of.
“You may be the target of a romance scammer if the person you are communicating with online shows any of these indicators:
- Claims they live, work or are traveling abroad.
- Lacks proper grammar, although they claim to speak English.
- Claims to be notably younger than you.
- Quickly professes love to you.
- Has a story that is inconsistent.
- Has a minimal online presence.
- Sends general photos (mostly fake/AI generated) of themselves traveling, shopping, or dining at luxurious locations.
- Sends or requests explicit photos or videos.
- Mentions the idea of meeting and being together soon.
- Provides periodic excuses for being unable to make a video call (e.g., FaceTime).
- If a video call happens, you’re unable to see their face clearly.
- Requests to have conversations/texts be moved to a separate app (e.g., WhatsApp, Telegram).
- Asks for money, often via non-traditional methods such as cryptocurrency or gift cards.
- Asks if you’ve ever invested in cryptocurrency and/or foreign exchange market.
- Sends a business link of a cryptocurrency and/or foreign exchange trading platform.
- Is combative with you or tries to divert your attention when you question their intentions.”
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