Feb. 4, 2021 - With Valentine’s Day around the corner, online scams are targeting victims looking for love. Some red flags to look for in romance scams include:
- There's a request for money for urgent matters, such as medical expenses or a plane ticket. Never send money to someone you haven't met in person
- The person claims to be in the military and living overseas
- The person professes love quickly
- There's pressure to move the conversation off the platform to a different site
Knowing what to do if you believe you are the victim of a scam, it is crucial to take the following steps:
- Cease communications with the scammer immediately
- Take note of any identifiable information you may have on the scammer, such as their email address, IP address, or other information in their full email header
- Contact your bank or credit card company if you think you've given money to a scammer
- Report the scammer to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) at ftc.gov/complaint
- Notify the website or app where you met the scammer
For more information or questions about Information Security, contact CSUCI's Information Security Team at infosec@csuci.edu or visit https://www.csuci.edu/its/security/.