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Understanding romance fraud and how to avoid it
The best tips to stay safe when using dating apps
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Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, romance scams like the Tinder Swindler have been on the rise. A report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimated an 80% increase in romance fraud in 2021 compared to 2020. More than US$1 billion was lost to such cons in the US in 2021 alone. The perpetrators use dating apps like Tinder to get their hooks into innocent people, often those who are most vulnerable, and manipulate them into giving away their money or sharing useful personal information. It's done through the guise of love and romance, making it emotionally devastating as well as a financial nightmare.
This doesn't mean that truly valuable relationships can't be formed through virtual meetings, but it does mean that we need to know how to be smart and protect ourselves online. Click through this gallery to get a better understanding of how romance fraud works, and learn how to avoid it.
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