BATON ROUGE, LA – As
many in Louisiana seek love online through dating apps and social media
platforms, Attorney General Jeff Landry is warning them to be cautious of
scammers this Valentine’s Day.
“According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers
lost more than $547 million to romance scams in 2021 – up nearly 80% from
2020,” said Attorney General Landry. “It is imperative for online daters to learn
how to identify scammers in order to protect their hearts and their treasures.”
Attorney General Jeff Landry offers the following tips
to protect consumers from falling victim to fraud when engaging in online
relationships:
- Protect
Personal Information.
Do not share sensitive information (i.e., home address and Social Security
Number).
- Never
Send Money.
Look out for red flags like similar stories used in other scams or
requests for gift card payments.
- Keep
Guard Up. Be
extremely wary of dates claiming phone conversation is not possible
(wanting to leave the date site immediately to use personal email or
instant messaging) or alleging to be American traveling or working
overseas.
- Don’t
Swipe on Iffy Pictures.
Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture to see if it is
associated with a different name or unfamiliar details.
Attorney General Landry
also encouraged dating site users to report suspicious activity or scams to the
FTC’s Consumer Response Center by calling 1-877-FTC HELP (1-877-382-4357) or
submitting it online at ftc.gov/complaint.
To learn more about scams and fraud, visit
AGJeffLandry.com or call Attorney General Landry’s Consumer Protection Hotline
at 800-351-4889.