Consumer tip: Meeting people online? Watch out for scammers

Romance scams have long been a profitable scheme for online criminals, but a rising twist now targets victims through fake friendships instead of love. Scammers are increasingly building trust by pretending to share common interests, hobbies or personal struggles. This tactic, known as affinity fraud, exploits shared connections, such as gaming communities, hobby forums or support groups, to gain credibility.

Criminals typically make first contact through social media platforms or casual “wrong number” texts and quickly build rapport by mirroring a victim’s interests. They often move conversations to encrypted apps like WhatsApp or Telegram before inventing a financial emergency or promoting a fake investment. Victims are pressured to send money through cryptocurrency, gift cards or peer-to-peer payment apps, which are hard to trace.

Experts warn that artificial intelligence is helping scammers create realistic fake identities and messages, making these schemes even harder to spot. Authorities urge people to slow down when forming online connections and watch for red flags.

How to protect yourself from friendship scams

Keep these safety tips in mind when building online relationships:

• Be skeptical of sudden closeness. Scammers try to build trust quickly.

• Watch for secrecy. Avoid anyone who refuses to talk by phone, video chat or meet in person.

• Be cautious of platform switches. Requests to move to WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal may signal a scam.

• Never send money, especially to someone you’ve never met. Urgent requests or payments via crypto or gift cards are major red flags.

• Get a second opinion. Discuss suspicious situations with a trusted friend or family member.

• If you suspect a scammer, stop responding and block them.

Officials say the best defense is simple: If something feels off, trust your instincts and walk away.