Broken heartValentine’s Day is just around the corner. For me, that means I’ll be receiving a prank Valentine card in the mail from my mom, which was supposedly sent by one of the guys that I knew in my teen years. Despite her attempts to disguise her handwriting, I always know they are from her. As usual, I laugh at the card and she denies any wrongdoing. What a fraud.

Unfortunately, there are more serious frauds that are no laughing matter.  Have you heard of the term “sweetheart scam ”? It’s a term that refers to a situation where a scammer acts as if they are interested in developing a romantic relationship with you. They spend time with you (generally on online dating sites) and develop an emotional connection; however, their only intention is to take your money. Some signs to watch out for include:

  • Quick declarations of love
  • Insistence that you move your communication off of the dating site and use personal email
  • Requests that you send money to pay for travel or emergency expenses
  • Plans to visit you are prevented due to a traumatic event

Younger adults are not the only ones victimized by this type of scam. Seniors are particularly vulnerable to sweetheart scams.  In such cases, the scammer may be trying to get more than fast cash. They may also have long-term hopes of getting access to the senior’s financial assets and maybe even gain power of attorney. Isn’t that horrible?

You can report a sweetheart scam to the Federal Trade Commission for investigation. And if you choose to date online, use the same privacy tips that you would use on other social networking sites.

Do you have other tips to share about how to prevent this type of scam?