Nowadays, love at first sight, or at least, attraction to the other, takes place behind a smartphone or computer screen. Long months of sentimental wandering under the sign of Covid-19 … The French have logically flocked to applications or dating sites to try a virtual romance. In a January 2021 press release, the Happn platform told us that 49% of singles feel the need to be in a relationship so as not to live alone in potential confinement. The lack is clear and the feeling of loneliness has intensified. In this sentimental desert climate, web pirates are rubbing their hands …
"Love scam"
For several years and the digital explosion in our society, “grazers” (scammers operating on the Internet, especially on social networks) have been raging. In the United States, a study published in 2021 by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) revealed that in 2020, the victims of these practices were relieved of 304 million dollars, or 250 million euros. A 50% increase over the previous year. Especially people between 40 and 69 years old are the most likely to be defrauded. “The crooks claim to have sent money for some made-up reason, then have a detailed story of why the money should be returned to them or sent to someone else. 'they are helping someone they care about, but they may actually launder stolen funds ", explains the FTC.
Romance scams don't always start on dating apps, the organization says, but on social media like Facebook, Instagram and even LinkedIn. These social media users are not always looking for love and report that the scam often starts with an unexpected request or message from a friend, adds the FTC. Sooner or later these crooks are always asking for money. They can say it's for a calling card to keep chatting. Or they can pretend it's for a medical emergency, with covid-19 often sprinkled in their tales of doom. These stories are endless and can create a sense of urgency that prompts people to send money over and over again.
Play on the vulnerability of single people
This upsurge in scams has also been observed by Arkose Labs, relayed by the site Lemon Press. No less than 4 million scams have been detected via dating sites 2020. The fraud is based on "the vulnerability of people looking for potential matches". In view of the phenomenon, Interpol has issued alerts and requests for cooperation between countries in order to allow police services to exchange information. The International Criminal Police Organization sees this as a widespread breach of trust.
In France and more precisely, in Dordogne, a fifty-year-old was the victim for five months in total of a woman who said she was madly in love with him, can we read in South West February 16, 2021. The man lost 1,500 euros. This false pretender started by asking him "50 € here and there" to buy clothes, then more and more money. To fool him and reassure him, this false profile even paid him 3,000 euros in cash, using prepaid cards without a bank account, to the transfixed lover. But the money came from another hacked bank account, and the real owner filed a complaint. The 50-year-old man now finds himself trapped, because "he cannot benefit from bank insurance and must now reimburse the other victim every month", indicates the log. A virtual love that can be very expensive.