The most romantic day of the year is upon us, unfortunately, so are the romantic scams!

New data has revealed the states giving away the most money to love scammers, and bad news for us singletons in Texas, the Lone Star state ranks pretty high on the list!

As Valentine's Day approaches, Texans are warned to be on the lookout for romance scams!
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What are romance scams?

Romance scams are a type of online fraud where scammers create fake identities to deceive people into romantic relationships, with the ultimate goal of stealing their money or personal information. These scams often take place on dating apps, social media, or messaging platforms.

As Valentine's Day approaches, Texans are warned to be on the lookout for romance scams!
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We recently learned of the devastating story of a French woman who got scammed out of about $865,000 because she thought that Brad Pitt was messaging her! She's not alone, according to the FTC, nearly 70,000 people reported a romance scam in 2022, totaling a staggering $1.3 billion lost, with an average loss of $4,400!

Now, in a new study, investment fraud lawyers at Investor Loss Center examined data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) from 2022 and 2023 on the total amount lost to romance scams in each year. The states were ranked based on the total lost across 2022 and 2023.

Texans are warned as romance scams are on the rise
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In a list of the top ten states that have lost the most money to love scams, Texas came in third! According to Investor Loss Center, Texas has lost over $114.4 million from 2022 to 2023, but saw a slight decline in total losses, dropping from $60.3 million in 2022 to $54.1 million in 2023.

How can you protect yourself from something like this? Well, experts say there are common red flags to look out for like:

  • They avoid video calls or in-person meetings.
  • They claim to be in the military, working overseas, or in a remote location.
  • They quickly profess love or deep emotional attachment.
  • They ask for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers.
  • They claim to have emergencies that only the victim can help with.
  • They use poor grammar and inconsistent details in their story.

And how can you protect yourself?

  • Never send money or share financial details with someone you haven’t met in person.
  • Reverse search their profile photos to check for stolen images.
  • Be skeptical of people who rush into romantic commitments online.
  • Report suspicious profiles to dating platforms or social media sites.
  • If scammed, report it to authorities such as the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) or local law enforcement.

And chances are that if you have a bad feeling, you should probably trust that instinct!

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