February Sees Surge in Romance Scam Alerts in WA State

February is a busy month for scammers as lots of people look for love.
Officials from the Better Business Bureau say scammers are hoping to cash in on the search for a significant other.

RECORD LOSSES SETTING THE HIGH WATER MARK IN 2021

The FTC reports the scam record of $547 million lost to romance scams was set back in 2021. In Washington State the Federal Trade Commission says the average victim loses more than $22,000.

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HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOURSELF?

BBB officials say scammers not only use words but photos to scam people. They say scammers steal photos of attractive people to create fake online accounts and then trick victims to fall in love with them and then they drain bank accounts. The officials say do your homework and make sure you deal with a company with good ratings from the BBB. Click on the link for the BBB scam tracker and keep the link handy for other questions you may have about online companies and non-profit organizations.

WATCH FOR THE ASK OF MONEY

Federal officials say the scammers prey on people who are looking for love turning what feels like a new relationship into an ask for money to help the scammer with some made up crisis. FTC officials say they receive more than 25,000 complaints every year from consumers concerning romance scams. Before entering information check out the dating site at bbb.org.

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY LOST LOOKING FOR LOVE

According to brokerage and forex experts BrokerChooser nationwide it's estimated some 59,000 Americans have fallen victim to romance scams in a year, with an estimated $697.3 million lost to fake lovers.