Romance scams: love, then a ‘crisis’

HOW IT WORKS A charming person matches with you on a dating app. They are attractive, kind, interested in your life — and always too far away to meet. Over weeks they build trust, maybe even talk about the future. Then the crisis arrives: a sick relative, a blocked account, a business deal that needs “just a little more”. Each payment is followed by another emergency. RED FLAGS - They cannot or will not video-call or meet. The photos are usually stolen. - They declare love quickly and avoid answering simple questions. - Their job is always somewhere remote: offshore oil rig, military deployment, overseas medicine. - They ask for money for “fees”, “flights”, “customs”, or send you money and ask you to forward it (this makes YOU the money mule). - They introduce you to an “investment opportunity” — this is often a pig-butchering setup. WHAT TO DO - Do a reverse image search on their photos. Stolen photos are found in seconds. - Never send money to someone you have not met in person, full stop. - If they ask you to receive and forward money, stop and contact your bank — this may be criminal. - Report the profile to the dating platform and the scam to the police. REMEMBER Genuine love does not require your bank card to prove itself.