Typical Patterns of Online Love Scammers

Looking for love online comes with risks. Many have fallen victim to romance scams, where an online imposter known as a catfish tries to win love — or money — by preying on the most vulnerable individuals.

According to FBI statistics, there were about 4,000 online love scams reported in 2012 and 6,400 (about a 40-percent increase) in 2013. The total dollar loss in 2013 alone reached $81 million. Experts say most of these cases go unsolved, because the problem is so prevalent. Education is the best prevention.

Be sure to study the following methods typically used by online love scammers:

Arrested
Hospitalized
Sick children
Money/credit cards stolen
Frozen bank accounts
Ship wrecked
Stopped at the airport
Lost/stolen passport
Expired visa or passport
Beaten up on way to airport
Stuck in foreign country until taxes paid
Attorney fees
Widowed

If anyone asks you for money, and you've never met them face to face, consider that a major red flag. Click here for more romance scam warning signs.

If you believe you've been the victim of an Internet scam, go to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center for more information.

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