Last fall, we introduced our Recognize, Relax, Rethink model for social engineering. This model helps you to:
- Recognize the ways cybercriminals try to fool us.
- Relax and pause before responding to something that seems unexpected.
- Rethink how you respond, if at all, to a suspicious message.
Did you know social engineering goes beyond email and into common dating apps and romance scams, too? Build your cyber sleuthing skills this Valentine's season and use Recognize, Relax, and Rethink to outwit romance scammers.
The Facts
The average loss from a romance scam was $4400 in 2022. Nearly 70,000 people reported a romance scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), with total reported losses of an astounding $1.3 billion. This is why we need to up our cyber know-how. We all know people looking for love, whether it’s our friends, colleagues, children, parents, or ourselves. Don’t let romance scammers sweet-talk you or people you care about out of hard-earned money.
How it Works:
A scammer strikes up a conversation via an unexpected private message on social media or a dating app.
As they “get to know you,” they weave their web of lies – they may say they’re sick, hurt, stranded, or in jail – and need your money to help them. Their compelling stories may seem especially enticing to someone who is lonely.
How can you outsmart romance scammers?
- Be suspicious if someone asks you for money. Requests for cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or gift cards are telltale indicators of a scam. (Recognize)
- Is the love interest in a faraway locale, or do they have reasons they can never meet in person? That’s a sign something’s not right. (Recognize)
- If you’re unsure if the person is legitimate, share with someone your trust for a fresh perspective. (Relax)
- Scammers often push to move the conversation off social media and dating apps to other messaging applications, like WhatsApp – don’t do it. (Rethink)
- Do a reverse image search of a profile picture to confirm if the person is legit. When the details are mismatched, it’s not real. (Rethink)
- Report suspicious profiles to the dating app or social media platform where they’re located. (Rethink)
Helpful Resources
- Review our Click with Caution page. Familiarize yourself with our Recognize, Relax, Rethink framework and learn about the FUDGE model of common phishing tactics.
- View our Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places video with cyber news reporter Kerry Tomlinson – she shares eye-opening details about how romance scams work.