Attorney General Todd Rokita is warning Indiana consumers to be on the lookout for romance scams during the Valentine’s season.
In romance scams, perpetrators prey on unsuspecting matches on dating sites by creating fake profiles to take advantage of victims online. They then go to great lengths to pose as prospective romantic partners with similar interests to lure people into providing gifts, money, or personal information.
Here are a few warning signs that someone might be more interested in your money or personal information than a relationship:
- Your new romantic interest sends a picture that doesn’t look realistic and looks more like a model from a fashion magazine.
- The relationship is moving fast, and the other person quickly professes their love for you.
- The person attempts to isolate you from friends and family.
- The person requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used against you.
- The person can’t meet you in person or communicate on Facetime.
- The person asks you for money to buy their ticket to visit you, help pay for medical expenses for them or a family member, or invest in a business.
- They ask for money in the form of wire transfers, preloaded gift cards, cryptocurrency, or money transfer apps that are hard to recoup.
If you ever suspect a scam of any type, file a complaint at indianaconsumer.com or call Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office at 1-800-382-5516.
