Social media sites and dating apps make meeting new people easy. Unfortunately, criminals use fake online identities to gain a victim’s love and trust.  

The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to target the victim. They use a wealth of excuses and sob stories to try to get cash from you. 

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) urges you to exercise caution when communicating with people you have not met in real life.

Signs of a scam

Scammers will say they can’t meet you in person. They may say their job keeps them far away or claim an emergency is keeping them from making a scheduled visit.

• Refuses to talk to you on the phone or video chat.
• Has poor grammar and/or spelling.
• Attempts to lead you out of the dating site and talk via your personal e-mail or instant message service.

The lies they tell

“I need money for a passport.”

“I need to purchase leave papers”

“I want to purchase more telephone time.”

“I have been arrested. Please bail me out.”

How to avoid scammers

Be skeptical of people who ask for money. Never send your hard-earned money to someone you have not met in real life. 

• Beware of anyone who asks you to buy gift cards, cryptocurrency or wants you to send them money through a money transfer app. Scammers like these payments because they can be hard for you to get the money back.
• Look out for poor grammar and/or spelling.
• Talk to someone you trust about your new love interest.
• Do not mix dating and investing. After chatting for a bit, your love interest may claim to have an incredible investment opportunity that promises big profits or quick returns. Think twice.

Beware of imposters.

These people are not who they claim to be. Just because a profile looks legitimate and has convincing photos does NOT mean it's real. Anyone can make a convincing website or profile. Fraudsters often use common interests and hobbies to reel you in. They may steal the real names and photos of U.S. service members or claim to be working overseas. 

• Search online for the type of job the person claims to have and add the word “scammer” to see if others are posting similar stories online.
• Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture. Do you see the image come up with other profiles or other names? Those are the signs of a scam.

To report a scam

Did you give personal or financial information to a scammer? Report it to the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs Identity Theft Unit by going to this link or by calling (844) TELL-DCA.