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Romance scammers are getting craftier every year, using manipulative tactics to take advantage of people looking for love. These scams can be devastating, both financially and emotionally. But don’t lose hope. Our Romance Scam Investigation services can help you uncover the truth and show you how to get back what’s rightfully yours.
We’ll work with you to expose the scam, digging deep into your case and analyzing messages, transactions, and any other evidence to get to the bottom of it all. Our expert investigators will work tirelessly to identify the people or companies behind the scam, gathering crucial information that can be used to reclaim your losses.
Romance scams are unfortunately common, and they can be incredibly damaging to your financial and emotional well-being. It’s essential to understand how these scams operate and what steps you can take to protect yourself. At Payback, we’re dedicated to empowering our clients with the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves from romance fraud.
There are lots of different types of romance scams circulating, but, in general, they are all cons that involve the scammer pretending to have romantic feelings towards their victim. The aim is to lure in the intended mark to eventually persuade them to give or send money or gifts to the scammer. Now, these cons often begin on platforms such as Tinder and other dating sites.
Romance scams can have devastating consequences for those that have fallen victim to them. As well as losing money and/or possessions of value, the victim is usually left broken-hearted, feeling extremely vulnerable, and may have trouble forming a trusting relationship for a significant time. This type of scam is particularly cruel and can have long-term effects on the people who have found themselves entangled in one.
Here are the main types of romance scams that are currently circulating:
In this scenario, an individual using a dating site or app will be contacted or matched with a potential partner and get chatting with them. This person, however, is a scammer and will attempt to begin the process of getting close to their mark and appear to want to develop a relationship with them. Things could move quickly, and the victim may feel flattered and that they’ve met the perfect match they’ve been looking for.
The scammer will often push to meet quickly and may bombard their victim with messages declaring their feelings and plans for the future. At some point, however, the con artist will request money or a gift. They may appear extremely convincing in their request, using the emotional connection they’ve carefully crafted with their mark to persuade them to acquiesce to the request without becoming suspicious.
Once money or gifts have been given, the requests for more will come frequently until, typically, the victim will begin to realize what’s happening and questions the scammer. At this point, the con artist will usually either become aggressive or – more likely – when it becomes apparent that no more funds will be forthcoming – disappear into thin air.
The so-called ‘Pig Butchering’ scam is a relatively new con that originated in China in 2020: it combines a romance scam with an investment scam. The con unfolds like the ‘traditional’ romance scam as outlined above. However, once the scammer has successfully feigned romantic feelings for and secured a connection with their victim, they will request (or advise) their mark to invest in a fake or fraudulent business.
Statistics have shown that, since this scam emerged a few years ago, the majority of its victims have been well-educated women in their 20s and 30s; and that the average amount of money a victim loses to it is a staggering $98,000.
This is another widespread romance scam. In this case, a con artist will undertake research to create a convincing persona, uploading their details onto a dating site in the guise of a member of the military. The scammer will usually target an individual who they’ve discovered has shown support for or who has some connection to the military: they can find this information from reading profiles or by scouring relevant Facebook groups.
Once the scammer has identified a vulnerable target, the typical pattern will unfold: a relationship will be sought that escalates quickly. Within a short space of time, money or gift cards will be sought. When the victim asks to meet, the scammer will claim that they’re currently posted overseas.
This type of romance scam isn’t concerned with persuading a victim to directly part with their funds but, instead, is about identity theft. This con typically involves a victim (who is active on a dating site) being sent an email from an individual they’ve matched with. The mark will be invited to click on a link to view some photos of the person they’ve connected with.
Unfortunately, once this link is clicked on, the scammer can access their victim’s device and therefore harvest a multitude of personal details. These could include the victim’s date of birth, address, credit card number, and banking information and could be used to raid accounts or to take out a loan, for example, in the victim’s name.
With this romance scam, the victim that the scammer has targeted, and has given the impression of forming a close connection with, is persuaded to move illicit funds as a way to launder money. The con artist will send the victim money, phones, or valuable possessions and convince them to send these items elsewhere.
Steering clear of this type of scam is vital; victims may find themselves embroiled in a wide-ranging criminal network that could be both difficult and dangerous to extricate themselves from.
Here’s What You Need to Do Next
Those who have fallen victim to a romance scam are usually left heartbroken and feeling vulnerable, as well as having to deal with the loss of an often significant amount of money. These feelings can make seeking help and restitution even harder – victims may even feel embarrassed or ashamed, making figuring out what to do next even harder.
At Payback, we understand the devastating impact of romance scams. Our team of experts can help you uncover the truth and provide you with the tools you need to potentially reclaim your losses. We’ll work closely with you throughout the investigation process, providing support and guidance every step of the way.
You will have a caseworker who will send you constant updates and make sure you’re kept in the loop during the investigation. Ready to take control and fight back? Start by getting a free consultation call, and we will let you know exactly how our Investigation Report can help you.
If you’d like us to review your case to see if it’s one we believe we can win, then get in touch with us at your earliest convenience so that we can start the process of recovering your funds and getting you the justice you deserve.
Dating websites and apps are commonly used, but scammers also set up fake profiles on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to lure in their victims. In the latter case, the scammers may send you a friend request, or an unsolicited message, possibly claiming that they know one of your other friends or went to the same school as you, to open up a line of communication.
This type of romance scam is where a con artist will convince the person they’re in a ‘relationship’ with that they should get married as soon as possible so that a large inheritance can be accessed. If the victim agrees, then the scammer will attempt to persuade them to send a significant sum of money to cover their plane ticket and relocation costs.
Whilst it’s impossible to be sure from a profile alone if you’re contacted by or matched with a potential partner on a dating site, it’s vital to have a careful look at their profile. Is it complete, or is it sketchy? Be wary of partially completed profiles, those with just the basic sections completed, or that feature no photos, or images that are blurry or indistinct.
In most cases, the scammer will masquerade as someone who was brought up or now lives relatively close to you when, usually, they’re in another country altogether and may never have set foot anywhere near your location. So, asking where they grew up is helpful. A scammer is likely to give you a vague answer, so be sure to ask for particulars. If they say they grew up in the Chicago area, ask which street or suburb they lived in.
You could also ask what school or university they attended and their favorite restaurant in the area they claim to have previously lived.
Ideally, ask if you can have a video chat as soon as possible; this is one of the very best ways of checking whether someone is who they say they are.
The ‘Pig Butchery’ romance scam, which first surfaced in 2020, is becoming increasingly popular with con artists. This scam involves the mark being persuaded to invest in a fraudulent business proposition, often related to digital currency.
In 2021 eight Nigerian men appeared in a court in South Africa, charged with undertaking a decade-long scam that involved more than one hundred American women. Over seven million dollars was stolen from the scammers’ victims over this ten-year period.
If you got entangled in a romance scam and lost money, we can investigate your case and provide you with an Investigation Report and an Action Plan you can use to retrieve your money.
Get in touch and our team of experts will work tirelessly until they gather all the tools you need to get your money back.
FundsRecall LTD., which trades as FundsRecall, is UK company No. 515711653, authorized and regulated in UK, and operates globally. In the UK, the company operates through a legal exclusion, which removes the need to be authorized and regulated by the FCA. In Australia, the company is registered as FundsRecall (Aust) Ltd., authorized and regulated under ARBN 678842236 | ASIC 562295 | AFCA 109819 | Australian Credit Licence No. 532450
Disclaimer: FundsRecall specializes in preparing investigation reports and cryptocurrency tracing reports. We do not engage in any financial services, funds management, or provide financial advice, investment guidance, or related services. The services and products commissioned will incur fees and/or commissions based on the service and the complexity of each case. Our reports are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial recommendations or endorsements.
For your information: Although the process of recovering your losses from an online scam can be very tedious and long, sometimes longer than a year, it is a process you can undertake yourself, and it does not require any official representation. For more information on DIY Recovery, Read This Article.
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