As dating apps got popular, romance scams in Asia are increasing rapidly. The unsuspecting users are looking for love, but sadly are falling prey to cyber crooks who are manipulating them for financial gain. Victims often lose not only money, but also personal information and that opens them up to a world of harm.
It goes without saying that this type of fraud also results in emotional trauma. To steer clear of this type of fraud, one should know the methods used by scammers, potential red flags and preventive measures. In this blog post, we will cover in-depth about how this hustle works so that you can have a safer interaction online.
The Rise of Romance Scams in Asia
As data is becoming cheaper and more accessible, there is a significant rise of romance scams. Countries like India, Philippines and Thailand have witnessed a spike in online scams, the ironic thing is, both locals and foreign nationals are targeted by the crooks. It is undeniable that online dating apps do enable genuine connections. However, there is a lot of grey area and it serves as a hunting grounds for scammers.
Traditionally, dating apps weren’t so popular. After Covid, the acceptance of online relationships became normal and that might have been the main reason for the spike in romance scams in Asia. Just like with anything in life, when something new is being embraced by the society, there will always be a lack of awareness which is fueling the cyber crooks.
Common Tactics Used by Scammers
Keep in mind that scammers and crooks evolve constantly which means there’s a good chance that they might be one step ahead in general. However, if you understand the common ways they use to lure people in, it will give you an advantage. Keep an eye out for the following techniques.
Fake Profiles – This is an obvious one. Scammers use stolen photos or stock images to create profiles. They often pose as successful professionals to garner viewer’s interest.
Love Bombing – Once contact is established, scammers try to express strong feelings of love and commitment. Basically, they try to build a solid emotional connection.
Fake Emergencies – As soon as the victim takes the bait, scammers create fake scenarios to extort money by staging medical emergencies, business failures, etc,. As a general rule, never lend money to anyone that you haven’t met personally or else things can go South quickly.
Investment Scams – If the relationship between the crook and the victim is strong, they might try to convince the victim to invest in a scheme that gives too good to be true returns. They might even showcase fake screenshots to convince the other party. If you happen to spot this pattern, talk to a licensed financial analyst before making any move and never invest without doing complete due-diligence.
Blackmail and Extortion – In few cases, victims might get tricked into sharing intimate photos which are later used to extort money from them.
Catfishing – Scammers also pretend to be someone they are not and also build an elaborate background story to maintain deception. So, trust your gut instinct and never believe anything you come across online.
Romance Scams Red Flags
Though romance scams can be extremely sophisticated, there are plenty of crumbs along the way. If you are vigilant, few red flags can be spotted from a mile away. We have listed out a few patterns below. However, with time, scammers are likely to come up with more manipulative narratives.
- Crooks usually avoid face to face meetings.
- They tend to express love unusually quickly and are extremely pleasant over texts.
- They request money under the pretext of emergency, travel or investment and might react aggressively when you decline their request.
- Fake profiles created by the crooks usually will have inconsistencies or no significant history.
- Scammers make excuses whenever they are asked to meet in person.
How to Protect Yourself
As you have witnessed the tactics and the damages romance scams can do to a person, you might be wondering about the ways of protecting yourself from it.
Start by verifying the identity of the other party you met through dating apps or sites. Check their social media profiles and make sure that the inconsistencies aren’t there. Sometimes, even the most vigilant people can fail to detect the threat at first glance. To ensure your well-being, do not send money to someone that you haven’t met in person. It’s all about being as skeptical as you can be. Also, if things are moving at an unusual pace and you are being showered with deep feelings early on, then know that it is a huge red flag.
Just to up the game a bit, always use reputable dating sites as they lower the likelihood of encountering scammers. Lastly, educate yourself about the latest trends in the online dating world to know about the new tricks crooks come up with.
Conclusion
Romance scams in Asia are rising at an alarming rate. Though education and awareness is the key to put an end to it, people have to start being more cautious. Also, if you end up getting scammed, do not shy away from reporting them to the authorities.
The more data there is, the more useful it will be for the police or other agencies to do their part. If you have any more questions about navigating this type of deception, leave a comment below and we will try our best to guide you.