South africa internet dating scams

How many victims of online dating scams are there in South Africa?

The South African Police Service (SAPS) said that the arrests were as a result of ongoing investigations into online dating scams, in which unsuspecting women were targeted and robbed. Seven victims have come forward so far, who together have been conned out of close to R400,000.

How to spot an online dating scam?

Most of the scripts that are used by online dating scammers include certain keywords to use when they are grooming their victims. Keywords such as “fate” or “destiny” should immediately cause you to be suspicious, especially if you have both only been chatting for a week.

Did online love scam generate hundreds of thousands of Rand?

Pretoria - An online love scam is said to have generated hundreds of thousands of rand from lonely, unsuspecting women, money which may now find itself in the public purse. Many women paid all the money they had to men they had never met, for love - one even couriered a precious ring to her online “lover” after her bank account was depleted.

How do Ghana romance scams work?

How Ghana Romance Scams work. 1 1. Dating site scams. This is the most common type of scam in Ghana. The scammer uses a dating site to find potential victims and then uses a fake ... 2 2. Military scams. 3 3. WhatsApp groups. 4 4. Live Chat. 5 5. The ask.

Are South Africans more likely to fall victim to romance scams?

According to a study done by Techshielder, a technology and online security news website, South Africa is one of 20 countries in the world where people are most likely to fall victim to online romance scams. Techshielder looked at how many reports there were in each country for romance scams.

Are online dating scams on the rise?

As Valentine’s Day approaches, love is in the air — and romance scams are apparently everywhere. According to the FTC, the reports of these online scams have nearly tripled in the past years — in 2020 alone victims lost around $304 million from being swindled by their cyber sweetheart. This just grazes the surface of online dating scams statistics.

What to do if you are a victim of online dating scam?

If you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately. If you are the victim of a romance scam, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Be careful what you post and make public online.

How common are romance scams on social media?

About half of all romance scam reports to the FTC since 2019 involve social media, usually on Facebook or Instagram. In the first six months of 2020, victims reported a record high of losing almost $117 million to scams that started on social media. ( FTC, October 2020)

What are the most common dating scams in Ghana?

Dating site scams This is the most common type of scam in Ghana. The scammer uses a dating site to find potential victims and then uses a fake profile to carry out the scams. The most common websites used include Match.com, ChristianMingle.com, BabyBoomerPeopleMeet.com, OutTime.com, PlentyofFish.com, eHarmony.com, and Facebook.

What is a romance scam?

The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim. The criminals who carry out romance scams are experts at what they do and will seem genuine, caring, and believable. Con artists are present on most dating and social media sites.

How do Ghanaian scammers steal money from their targets?

This is a common trick used by scammers to extract money from their targets. The scammers will promise their targets a live chat but only if they send them money to buy the equipment they need to make it happen. 5. The ask Ultimately, a Ghanaian scammer is after money and they will do anything to trick their victims into sending them money.

Are there gold scams in Accra Ghana?

Gold scams in Ghana A very valuable product, gold scams in Accra Ghana are very common. Scam sites contact people via email or text message claiming to be working for a custom company.