Have you heard about "Online Dating Scams"? Here's how they work:
You meet someone special on a dating website. Soon he wants to move off the dating site to email or phone calls. He tells you he loves you, but he lives far away - maybe for business, or because he's in the military.
Then he asks for money. He might say it's for a plane ticket to visit you. Or emergency surgery. Or something else urgent.
Scammers, both male and female, make fake dating profiles, sometimes using photos of other people - even stolen pictures of real military personnel. They build relationships - some even fake wedding plans - before they disappear with your money.
Here's what you can do:
1. Stop. Don't send money. Never wire money on a prepaid debit card, or send cash to an online love interest. You won't get it back.
2. Pass this information on to a friend. You might know that these relationships are fakes, but chances are that you know someone who doesn't.
If you believe you’ve been the victim of a scam, please file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.
