Scams, and the con artists behind them, are forever evolving and becoming more sophisticated and harder to spot.
Australian Community Media has compiled a list of current scams identified by sites such as scamwatch.gov.au, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which are dedicated to informing people about fraudulent and dishonest activities.
Romance scam victims end up with both emotional and financial heartbreak.
- The holiday period can be a lonely time for some people who can potentially become susceptible to romance scams.
- According to Scamwatch.gov.au scammers take advantage of people looking for romantic partners, often via dating websites, apps or social media by pretending to be prospective companions. They play on emotional triggers to get you to provide money, gifts or personal details.
- Scammers typically create fake online profiles designed to lure you in. They may use a fictional name, or falsely take on the identities of real, trusted people such as military personnel, aid workers or professionals working abroad.
- Dating and romance scammers will express strong emotions for you in a relatively short period of time, and will suggest you move the relationship away from the website to a more private channel, such as phone, email or instant messaging.
- They often claim to be from Australia or another western country, but travelling or working overseas.
- Once they have gained your trust and your…
