Romance scams are running rampant, and figuring out why this happens can be very challenging. To make it easier to understand why they do this, we’ve compiled the top reasons!
If you take a look at our compilation of articles, you’d think we’d know why romance scammers do what they do, and for the most part, we do; we keep up with their ever-changing tactics.
However, it’s not always that simple. The best we can do is elaborate, at least in terms of what’s going on inside their head, to strip and, in some cases, ruin other people’s lives.
Despite this, we can still look at why they do it in terms of gain. There are several reasons why they feel motivated to do this, the most popular of which we will cover.
Knowing why they scam unsuspecting victims using love and romance can help you understand how to avoid becoming a victim yourself.
To learn more about who you’re talking to, consider taking advantage of an online background check.
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Top 5 Reasons They Scam You
To Take Your Money
The most common romance scam is simply taking your money. They do this by reeling you in slowly and over the course of a week or two before they ask for any money.
They may ask for a small amount at first, such as $20, or play it boldly and ask for $200.
In some areas, there are designated centers for scammers to congregate in and share or sell plans or scripts to further their success.
The favorite way to make money from their victims is by instructing their victim to purchase a green dot card and load a certain amount onto the card.
After this, the card details are given to the scammer for reasons such as a made-up emergency or crisis. Sometimes it’s simply out of the victim’s kindness, leading to an overall loss.
To Steal Your Identity
Money isn’t the only thing that romance scammers seek to steal from you.
Your identity is just as valuable to them, as this information allows them to open accounts, take out loans, or even personally scam your family members.
Stealing identity has a little less reward for scammers, so it’s not practiced as much as money theft is, but it’s nevertheless a popular scam that should be watched out for.
Most of these scams start the same way they would if they intended to steal money.
However, instead of asking for money from you, they simply ask for personal information, either in pieces or all at once, depending on how far they’ve reeled in the victim at that point.
Faking The Need For A Visa
Usually, these kinds of scammers do not ask for money but instead try to gain your trust.
There are many reasons how they approach taking advantage of you, but the most common is some type of agreement to come and visit you.
The scammer may claim to be on his or her way to see you, but immediately after arriving at the airport, a problem arises — no visa.
This is where you’re asked for money. Typically, the scammer will claim to lack the funds needed to purchase the visa.
Assuming you’re excited for the visit of your love, the scammer hopes you send the money since you already “come this far.” If you do not offer it, he’ll ask, and when it’s sent, disappear.
To Have Money Mule
The money mule scam is simple yet incredibly dangerous. This scam involves you (the victim) being sent money that was obtained illegally by the scammer.
Once you receive the money on your end, you send it to someone else, sending it back to the scammer. Frequently, the scammer allows the victim(s) to keep a small portion of the money.
By doing this, the scammers’ tracks are removed from the money, eliminating the chance of him or her being caught.
The main problem here is while the scammer gains anonymity for themselves, the victim loses it, which puts them at high risk for fraud charges.
Victims are regularly jailed in this context, making this scam very devastating and dangerous, even if the victims do this thinking it’s just a legal favor for a friend or love.
They Want A Sugar Daddy
This scam is more complex than most others, involving marriage. Most of the time, it starts with a woman reaching out to a man online.
She’ll do whatever it takes to gain his trust. Keep in mind; this person usually is exactly who they say they are, though they may use a fake name.
This scam involves growing a close emotional connection with the victim, then asking him to move to the scammer’s home county.
After moving there, the scammer claims to have an important job requiring her to leave for long periods.
This cycle continues, with each husband getting a few days with his wife. The entire time, each husband is entirely clueless about the situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Outsmart A Romance Scammer?
There are several ways to outsmart a romance scammer. For starters, learn which keywords are most common by reading here.
Next, understand their dating profile structures; if the profile lacks depth, features perfect “stock photos,” or states that they’re a doctor, lawyer, or other high-tier careers, then be wary.
Lastly, know that anyone legit is never going to ask for money or personal information right away. As soon as you’re asked for any of this info or money, report, block and walk away.
Do Romances Scammer Video Call?
Under normal circumstances, online dating scammers do not video chat with their victims. However, there are a few scammers that use video calls to scam their victim.
This scam works by video calling the scammer who may be using A.I to appear like an actual human to hide their identity. They then ask you to perform certain sensual activities.
The scam is structured around blackmailing you with the recorded footage. Pay up, or have it uploaded to the internet and sent to your family.
How Do I Know If I’m Being Scammed
Most romance scammers either ask for money or attempt to obtain personal information, such as banking details, social security numbers, and more.
If anyone online asks for this information or requests any money right off the bat, then it’s a scam, especially if it’s on a dating website.
Think about it, does it sound realistic to ask for this so soon? No, and it’s a huge red flag. By keeping these details private, avoiding sending money and clicking phishing links, you’re kept safe.
Takeaway
The question of why romance scammers do what they do has left people mind-boggled for years.
There are many reasons why a romance scammer stoops to such low levels to take advantage of innocent people.
In some cases, it may be out of necessity due to poor living conditions, and other times, out of pure bad intentions.
No matter the case, they’re ruthless and have ruined countless lives. If you’ve been scammed, report them to the FTC, and alert any relevant business, i.e. (Banks, Credit, etc.)
You should also look at the methods commonly used.
To learn more about romance scamming and what to do, read here. We have covered several details, including trends to look out for.