Half of American online daters - 175 million - consider themselves as “risk-takers;” and with this, people are more willing to meet their online match in person. In fact, 66% of those who use dating websites have furthered their connection in person.
In 2019, the FBI arrested 80 people for stealing $46 million through a network of schemes targeting online dating service users. With this, online dating has become the most expensive form of online fraud.
In 2018, the average victim of online dating scams lost $2,600 - more than 7x the cost of other online scams. Interestingly enough, people over 70 years old lost an average of $10,000.
The following is an example.
Between 2010 and 2012, Debby Johnson (author of The Woman Behind the Smile) lost over $1 million to a dating scammer. This led to Johnson liquidating her retirement, investments, and some of her parents’ savings.
Being vulnerable on the Internet requires some amount of trust - be careful of the private information you state on your dating profile. While less than .5% will experience an online romance scam, the outcome for those who are victimized can be catastrophic. Keep reading for more information on the science and data behind online dating scams.
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