How Oklahomans can avoid romance scams this Valentine's Day
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Valentine's Day is right around the corner and while many may be searching for love, scammers are searching for their next target.
Oklahomans looking for love are being urged to watch out for romance scams, especially if you're using online dating apps.
"If it feels like they might be too perfect, then alarm bells should absolutely be going off," said Casey Farmer, vice president of marketing for the Better Business Bureau Serving Central Oklahoma.
Farmer says these apps have made it easier for scammers to take advantage of victims.
"They often will create really compelling backstories, potentially even full fledged identities and then they trick somebody into falling in love with someone who doesn't exist," said Farmer.
These scammers play on emotions, move quickly and try to build trust leading to them asking for financial help.
"I need you to send me $1,000 or $500 or whatever it is or they might be in some kind of serious pickle like, 'Oh, my car has been impounded,'" said Farmer.
The BBB warns scammers will often ask for this money in unusual ways, such as gift cards or cryptocurrency, making it difficult to track or get the funds back.
Farmer says money isn't the only thing they're after; they may also try to steal your personal information.
"About your pets that you might have, which might seem silly, like why would that information matter? But you've got to think all of the online logins and passwords and all these information that we have online, that information can be used to steal your identity," said Farmer.
While anyone can fall victim to these scams, older adults and lonely individuals are common target, which is why the BBB encourages you to check in on loved ones who may be vulnerable.
If you suspect you're a victim of a romance scam, the BBB encourages you to report it to their scam tracker, click here.
Also, you can always call their office at (405) 239-6081 if you don't know if something is a scam or not.
You can also do a reverse image search to verify an identity.