Resources to Avoid the Sweetheart Scam
During the month of February, our thoughts turn to Valentine’s Day and feeling connected. So in this month when the focus is on Valentine’s Day, our hearts, relationships, and the feeling of being in love- let us take a moment to explore how to protect ourselves and loved ones from something known as the Sweetheart Scam. The Sweetheart Scam is one of the most widely utilized modes of financial exploitation. It’s a scheme that can be perpetrated online or in-person.
The person perpetrating the scam convinces someone that they are in love, using compelling emotions to bilk money from the unsuspecting person—oftentimes an isolated older person. Report in-person scams to local law enforcement and report online scams to the Federal Trade Commission: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/
Learn more and share these resources widely to help prevent elder abuse this Valentine’s Day:
· Online Romance Scams Q&A with a Deputy District Attorney
