Concern for romance scams grows as more people stay home

Concern for romance scams grows as more people stay home

TAKING NOTE......THE F-B-I .OFFICE IN OMAHAWANTS TO REMINDPEOPLE OFROMANCE SCAMS,AS TOO MANY ARESTILL FALLINGVICTIM.NATS OF TYPINGYOU CAN FIND SOMUCH ON THEINTERNET NATSINCLUDING LOVE"WE CONSIDER IT AVERY BIG PROBLEM.INNOCENTMEMBERS OF OURCOMMUNITY AREFALLING VICTIM TOTHIS ON A DAILYBASIS." BUT DURINGTHAT SEARCH FORROMANCE, YOUMIGHT BE FALLINGINTO A TRAP "JUSTIN 2019 WE HADSCAMS IN THEUPWARDS OF $18MILLION DOLLARLOSSES JUST IN THESTATE OFNEBRASKA, SOME OFWHICH WOULD BEROMANCE SCAMRELATED." AND ITWASN'T JUSTNEBRASKA HAVINGISSUES, THE FEDERALTRADE COMMISSIONSAYS PEOPLE LOSTMORE THAN 200MILLION DOLLARSLAST YEAR JUST TOROMANCE SCAMS"THEY'RE FALLINGVICTIM TO THESECRIMINAL ACTORSWHO ARE TAKINGADVANTAGE OFLONELINESS ANDPEOPLE WHO HAVESOME EXTRA MONEYLAYING AROUND."KRISTI JOHNSON OFTHE FBI SEES IT WAYTOO OFTEN,SCAMMERS WILLBUILD ARELATIONSHIP WITHSOMEONETHROUGH APPS ORSOCIAL MEDIA WITHONE GOAL IN MIND"YOU HAVESOMEONE ONLINEPOSING TO BESOMEONE ELSE ANDUSUALLY THEY'RETRYING TO EXPLOITYOU IN SOME WAYMOSTLY FORFINANCIAL GAIN,SOMETIMES FORYOURINFORMATION."WHATEVER PICTUREYOU SEE OF THEM, ISNOTHING HOW THEPERSON SENDINGYOU THE MESSAGELOOKS AND IT'SUSUALLY COMINGFROM OVERSEAS ORNOWHERE NEARWHERE THEY SAYTHEY ARE "THECOMMON TACTICSYOU MIGHT SEE ARELIKE "HEY I HAVETHIS SITUATIONAND I NEED YOU TOGIVE ME SOMEMONEY ININTERMEDIATE TIMESO THAT I CAN PAYFOR SOMETHING, INEED GAS MONEY, INEED MONEY TOBUY FOOD THISMONTH"." THESCAMMERS MIGHTSTART SMALL WITHTHEIR MONEYREQUESTS THENMAKE HIGHERDEMANDS SO HOWSHOULD YOUPROTECT YOURSELF?YOU CAN START BYKEEPING YOURMONEY IN YOURACCOUNT "IF YOUNEVER MET THEPERSON DO NOTSEND THEM ANYMONEY." YOU CANALSO TAKE STEPS TOVERIFY IF THEY'RE AREAL PERSON LIKE AVIDEO CHAT, BUT IFYOU GET ANYMONEY REQUESTSBE SUSPICIOUS,BECAUSE THATSUSPICION CANSAVE YOU DOWNTHE ROAD "JUST BESUSPICIOUS ANDPROTECT YOURMONEY."IF YOU HAVE ANY