U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations announced Feb. 22 that it has launched a campaign to raise awareness for digital romance scams.
As part of its role in combating online financial fraud, the organization launched a five-day digital awareness campaign to remind the public about the dangers of online romance scams, according to the Feb. 22 news release.
Dating or Defrauding is a national federal awareness effort launched to alert the public to romance scams that target victims primarily through dating apps or social media.
“Romance scams are not new, but with the proliferation of online dating apps, social media and messaging apps, new types of scams are emerging that target new audiences and have drained victims of millions of dollars,” said Steve Francis, HSI acting executive assistant director, in the release. “These scams are a form of financial crime that can have a devastating impact on the individuals involved. A year-over-year comparison through the third quarter showed a 48-percent increase in reported romance frauds. HSI is committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who prey on innocent victims.”
A record number of romance scams were reported to the Federal Trade Commission in 2020, and consumer reports convey the number of scam complaints continued to increase in 2021.
The campaign will run Feb. 7 through March 11. More information can be found at ice.gov/features/romance-scams.
