Spotlight: Romance Scams
Could a “special someone” in your life be taking advantage of you?
Whether through dating apps, social media, phone call or text, scammers build a connection through frequent messages and compliments to create a sense of trust. They may claim to be working overseas or in the military to explain why they are unable to meet in person. Eventually, scammers claim to have a financial emergency such as medical bills, locked accounts or travel issues. Their victims think they’re helping, but once money is sent, money problems continue to crop up, and when payments stop, the scammer disappears.
Know the red flags of a romance scam:
- Moving the conversation to another platform
- Fast emotional connection and declarations of trust or affection
- Excuses for why they can’t meet in person
- Requests for money, gift cards, wire transfers, or crypto
- Asking to keep the relationship or money requests a secret
- Claiming a sense of urgency for needing funds sent
How to protect yourself:
- Never send money or financial information to someone you’ve only met online
- Be cautious with anyone who avoids meeting in person or on video
- Take your time – talk to a trusted friend or family member before sending money
- Report suspicious profiles to the platform right away
Trending: Online Account Takeover
Safeguarding online account access is more important than ever, especially as fraudsters work to steal that access from legitimate users. Victims are often lured in by messages claiming there is a virus on their device, fraudulent charges on their card or issues with an online banking profile. If a victim clicks a link, enters login details or allows a fraudster access to their device, scammers can capture that information and use it to access funds. Once a fraudster gains access, they will have the ability to drain accounts.
How scammers try to gain access to your accounts online:
- Phishing messages pretending to be from your bank or service providers
- Fake login pages designed to steal usernames and passwords
- Requests for one-time passcodes or verification codes
- Malware that captures passwords or login activity
How to keep your accounts secure:
- Use strong, unique passwords
- Turn on multi-factor authentication whenever available
- Never share usernames, passwords or one-time passcodes with anyone
- Log in through official apps or websites – not links in messages
- Review account activity regularly and set up alerts for unusual changes
Trending: Business Email Compromise (BEC)
Some scams, such as Business Email Compromise, can be highly targeted and difficult to spot. In these scams, fraudsters either compromise or spoof legitimate email addresses and pretend to be a company or vendor the victim does business with. Victims are instructed to update payment information or send a payment to a different account. Because the email appears legitimate, it can be easy to fall for.
How fraudsters make these messages convincing:
- Emails claiming payment instructions have changed
- Urgent requests to send wires or electronic payments
- Similar email addresses that differ by one character
- Messages designed to bypass normal verification steps
- Requests to keep the change confidential
Steps you can take to avoid Business Email Compromise:
- Verify payment or account changes verbally with the intended recipient
- Be cautious of urgent or unexpected requests involving payments
- Double-check sender email addresses carefully
- Never rely solely on email to confirm payment changes
- Contact the company directly if something seems suspicious
If you believe you have been the victim of fraud, contact our Customer Care Center immediately at (617) 969-4300 and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.