I have covered an enormous amount of content related to dating scams, and something I’ve always wanted to report on was the conviction rate.
These scammers are ruthless and have financially ruined people’s lives, stolen their identities, and broken their hearts. Understanding why they scam you can be quite difficult.
Because of this, I have written a report on the conviction rates of scammers all across the world. This included topics such as foreign and domestic, including how they’re caught.
I think it’s imperative to share this information. Partially to give scammers a reason not to do what they do. Frequently, they believe they are immune to prison.
You will also learn a few ways to stay safe and a few common keywords to watch out for, just if you find yourself possibly talking to one of the individuals.
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The Conviction Rates
American Conviction Rates
Thousands of complaints categorized as romance scams were registered in 2020, with the associated loss of approximately $304 million.
California, Texas, and New York were among the states with the highest number of victims. A high number to swallow, that’s for sure.
In 2020, The US Department of Justice successfully convicted 80 scammers; most were Nigerian nationals.
It is evident from the statistics that the number of victims is huge, and the number of convicted scammers is significantly less.
Consequently, it is advisable to protect yourself from any scam by following a few tips found in the lower section of this article.
Foreign Conviction Rates
It’s reported that 3,557 romance scams were reported in the United Kingdom in 2017, making an average of 10 reports a day.
Moreover, $42 million were lost in romance scams by victims in Australia in 2017. A woman aged 57 years was handed the death penalty due to a romance scam in Australia.
Despite this, very few reports can be found on the conviction of criminals who were traced and got caught for their scam, primarily due to lack of reporting.
It’s very frustrating to those attempting to find these individuals, so report them to help make it easier for the FBI.
How They’re Caught
These criminals are specialists at what they do and have mastered the art of decisiveness. Most of the time, they plan to meet up but end up canceling with an excuse of work or illness.
This kind of repetitive behavior makes the victim question the person’s authenticity on the other side of social media.
Sometimes, the same picture or identity is used on several profiles, or the name does not match the email address. These red flags help to catch the criminal.
The Challenges of Finding the Scammers
As most romance scammers approach the person who does not reside in the same country, finding out their real identity becomes challenging.
The criminal always makes excuses like he is outside the country due to work or some personal reasons. So, it’s challenging to get hold of him in a different country whose laws vary greatly.
Moreover, proving to the law that you have been scammed requires a lot of proof and paperwork, which many people just don’t want to deal with.
Recouping the stolen Money
In the year 2018, American citizens reported having lost around $143 million in romance scams, a very shocking amount.
As there are so many challenges to catching the scammers, another challenge is to get back the stolen money.
It is pretty hard, or you can say nearly impossible, to bring back the money you have lost in the scam. Many scammers either spend it as soon as they get it or trade it to clean the money.
Fortunately, banks can frequently reverse the charges, but this depends on each particular transaction m.
How to Stay Safe
Keep private info private
Online dating sites, where some people successfully find true love, get scammed by fake accounts by sharing a little too much about themselves.
That is why the first rule to use any dating app is to keep private information private. It will save you from great trouble.
Moreover, even if the other person sends you money first, do not send it to someone you have not met. This is often the case to gain your trust.
I also recommend talking about your new date with one of your family members or friends who you trust. A second opinion can help you avoid falling victim to a dirty scam.
Never Send Money
Scam artists tend to take advantage of victim’s emotions and feelings. First, they try to involve the person emotionally in the relationship and then start making different demands.
Asking for money is one of them. No matter how innocent the other person looks, consider it a red flag if they have started asking you for money.
Would you ever send cash in the mail to someone you barely know? Apply the same rules to your online date if they ask for money.
Watch Out for Keywords
There are several keywords to look out for. Many online dating scammers use words such as “fate” or “destiny” and claim that you’re the “love of their life” after just days or weeks.
This is a huge red flag. Not everyone who uses these keywords is scammers, but it’s imperative to stay away from the person if they’re using them.
You can click here, where we’ve shared a massive report of common keywords used by online dating scammers.
Takeaway
While enjoying dating sites and exploring new options for future relationships, you must stay vigilant of scammers and fraudsters.
They are a massive threat to millions of singles who use these services around the world every day. Because of this, stay alert and look for red flags.
Do not share your personal information with anyone, especially your bank account details or social.
If you or anyone of your friends has faced any issue like this, do not hesitate to file a complaint with the FBI detailing your problem.
