Scam Artists Initiate Online Romance.

• Position: CORONAVIRUS CATFISHING

During COVID-19. online romance scams have increased to unprecedented levels, maintain researchers at SocialCatfish.com, which has released a report using the most-recent data from the FBI. as well as exclusive interviews with Nigerian romance scammers and victims.

While most people think it could never happen to them, Americans lost a record $201,000,000 to scammers in 2019, and that number is skyrocketing this year due to pandemic loneliness and isolation.

The hallmark of catfish scammers is to come up with excuses why they cannot meet, such as pretending to be in the military overseas. The pandemic gives them a built-in excuse, which is why they are out in droves in 2020.

Rule No. 1 is that if your online flame refuses to meet in person after a reasonable amount of time, you are more than likely being scammed.

One of the new wrinkles to the romance scammer game is to ask for money because he or she has caught COVID-19 and needs financial help for treatment While it is normal to want to help if you think someone you have grown fond of is sick, it is critically important never to give money to anyone unless you have met them. If an individual indeed is in a pinch, there are family and friends who can help out.

A record 26.600.000 people are online dating in 2020 and this offers scammers more targets than ever before. However, people have their guard up on dating sites. As a result, scammers...