Romance scams, also known as "catfishing," happen when someone pretends to be romantically interested in you with a harmful motive. Over time, they try to trick you into giving them money, investing in crypto, accessing your bank accounts (routing and account numbers) or stealing personal information. These scammers often use dating apps, social media or email to find their victims.
How do romance scammers try to trick you?
- Fake profiles: Scammers create fake accounts on social media or dating sites and pose as real users.
- Moving the conversation: Once they connect with you, they’ll try to move the conversation to platforms like WhatsApp, Google Chat or Telegram. This helps them avoid being reported and banned on social media.
- Promises and excuses: They’ll promise you a real a relationship but never seem to be able to meet in person. They may hint at having money troubles or ask for help with things like rent, food or medical treatment.
- Targeting specific groups: Many scammers impersonate people in the military community, even stealing photos from real people in the military to make their profiles seem real. The scammers use the excuse of being deployed to avoid meeting you in person.
How to avoid romance scams
- Be cautious online.
- Take your time: Get to know someone well before sharing any personal information.
- Introduce them: Make an introduction with them to your friends or family for a second opinion.
- Verify their identity.
- Video calls: Ask for a video call to see if they are who they say they are.
- Check profiles: Search for their profile on other social platforms to confirm they’re not pretending to be someone else.
- Don’t always believe a sad story.
- Sympathy traps: Scammers often tell sad stories to gain your sympathy. If they ask for money, don’t send them anything, ever.
What to do if you think you’re a victim
- Protect yourself: Stop all contact with the scammer right away.
- Report the scam: Contact us at any time at (800) 462-8328 or visit us at your local branch. We can help you secure your accounts.
- Notify law enforcement: Call your local police to report the incident. You can also report your case to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) by visiting their Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Trust your instincts
If something feels wrong, trust your gut. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you have any questions or need help, you can contact us at any time at (800) 462-8328.
Important note
In order for us to access your account to confirm fraud or anything else, we go through a strict process to verify your identify to make sure it’s really you. We’ll never ask you for your PIN, three-digit card security code (CVV), one-time passcode (OTP) or Online and Mobile Banking password.1