Tips for Older Adults to Outsmart Romance Scams.

More adults are swiping right to find love online in later life. It’s exciting but there is also concern due to the increase in romance scams.

More tech-savvy people means a wider area for criminals to focus on. They target those seeking companionship, meaning they’re unfortunately honing in on the elderly.
These scams are both a risk to finances and a person’s self-esteem. Recovering from something like this can be difficult.

The meaning of ‘romance scams’

It’s a type of cybercrime where scammers fake romantic intentions to trick their victims into parting with money. They’ll use manipulative tactics to gain trust and form a ‘relationship’. The internet is a playground for these con artists, and older adults experiencing loneliness may have less experience with fraud and are especially vulnerable to this.

How they approach their victims

Fraudsters will target their victims through popular social media platforms and dating websites. They create attractive profiles and take the time to craft messages. They’ll aim to appeal to their victim’s emotions, making them feel wanted and desirable.

How they build up a ‘relationship’

The scammer’s aim is money. They’ll gradually build a story around their need for cash for things like travelling to meet them in person. This is where victims get caught out and might overlook cautionary signals or ignore any suspicions.

The ghosting act

Once the scammer gets what they want, they’ll disappear. This leaves the victim without the ‘relationship’ they thought they’d built as well as a potentially vast amount of money lost. It’s distressing and can take some time to recover from.

How can older adults be more digitally aware?

Both older adults and their loved ones should seek education and information to spot these types of crimes.

Red flags to look out for

Romance scam education

There needs to be much more awareness around romance scams. At Action for Elders, we run workshops on ‘phishing’ and we’re always here to help with the prevention of online scams for older adults, to increase knowledge further. We also assist in making sure the necessary security procedures are in place.