One of the more popular methods used by scammers to bilk money out of unsuspecting victims is the so-called Sweetheart Scam. What makes this type of fraud especially insidious are its most common victims: older widows or widowers at their most vulnerable following the loss of their partner.
Worse, the swindlers are almost never caught because most of these scams originate from a foreign country. The only real defense you have is to take precautions if you find yourself in a virtual or long-distance relationship with someone.
Most sweetheart scammers follow the same formula. They connect with a victim online, often through dating sites or even by phone. They know how to tug at the heart of a widow or widower to develop a close, intimate relationship from afar. The correspondence deepens and plans are made to eventually meet. At some point the scammer contacts the victim with news of a tragedy, or some emergency requiring financial assistance. Some scammers will start off small, requesting $100 for a bus ride home. The next request will be bigger, maybe $30,000 for a medical emergency, always with the promise to repay the victim. Eventually, the scammer disappears, deleting their email address and phone numbers.
If you become involved in a virtual or long-distance relationship, take every precaution before moving forward. If you’re not careful, you may even become the victim of identity theft.
If you think you are in the midst of a Sweetheart Scam, contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
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