Romance Fraud has grown massively in the past 3 years, with 2021 being 250+% higher than just two years before. Part of this is attributed to the rise in online dating and part due to criminal organizations realizing that there are many people, particularly in the US, who will engage in an online relationship with someone and not take the steps to verify that the person is real a being truthful with them.
What is Romance Fraud?
Romance fraud often involves someone creating a fake online persona for personal gain. The person behind the persona will attempt to gain the victim’s trust by being extremely affectionate and loving. Once they gain the trust, they will often ask for money to help with some problem, injury or expense. They ask to be paid in a variety of formats including, gift cards or to reload a gift card they already have, crypto currency, through a payment app or bank transfer.
How to Protect Yourself From Romance Fraud
Conducting a background check on the person you are involved with online is one of the only ways that you can protect yourself or a family member from potentially being victimized. Although many people understand that romance fraud does occur, they tend to believe that it can’t happen to them or believe that they could somehow figure it out if they were being deceived. In reality, few people can detect the deception and even fewer can prove that the “person” they are involved with is a fraud.
At ASG Investigations, we have a team of investigations experts who specialize in uncovering romance fraud. Although we encourage people to meet and connect online, if you feel that you have a real connection and want to become emotionally invested in the relationship, or if the other person is asking for money, have us verify that you are not being scammed before you move forward. The process is quick and judgement free and can save you money and anguish. We provide a detailed report of our findings that will give you facts and help to instill a sense of confidence in your decision to proceed or withdraw from the relationship.
To learn more about our online dating and romance fraud background checks, visit our online dating investigation page.
