Romance scams
Advance fee fraud
Scammers are using Internet dating sites to break the hearts and bank balances of Western Australians.
Internet dating sites and chat rooms have increased in popularity over recent years with many singles finding it an easy way of meeting people.
But like everything, scammers are always on the look out for easy ways to fleece people of their money. And unfortunately, some people let their heart rule their head by falling victim to these clever cold-hearted Romeos and Juliets.
WA ScamNet is aware of a number of cases where Western Australians have been conned out of thousands of dollars, including one man who lost about $100,000 trying to bring his "bride" to Australia.
Scammers find their victims by posing as singles on Internet dating sites or by prowling chat rooms or other sites looking to pick up vulnerable singles.
They cultivate their victims over weeks and months to gain their trust before reeling them in with requests for money or assistance.
The request for money might be to help a sick relative or to pay for airfares so you can meet. One WA victim was asked to cash some travellers cheques and wire the money on to the man, the cheques were fakes and she ended up thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Be aware that scammers may also be fishing for personal information so they can assume your identity.
Most legitimate dating sites and chat rooms provide helpful tips on how to protect yourself from scammers. Their advice can be helpful.
Here are some tips on how to avoid being scammed by a romance scam.
- Always guard your anonymity and personal information until you are comfortable with the person. Ask lots of questions, trust your instincts if you have any doubts, be cautious and be selective before providing such information.
- Be wary of emails from overseas-based singles, particularly if they start confessing their love for you within weeks of emailing you and despite never having met you.
- Watch out for personal photographs that are "too good to be true".
- Be cautious of singles asking too many questions about your financial status. Keep the topics to hobbies and interests.
- Be very wary if they start mentioning a financial difficulty or needing financial assistance. Never send money, particularly by wire transfer.
- If you are using a legitimate dating site and feel uncomfortable about the person, report it to the site.
Click here to fight back.
Scams of a similar type include:
For more scams of this type and others, visit the full list of scams by type page.
