How to keep yourself safe from romance scams this Valentine's Day
Last year, the Federal Trade Commission received over 64,000 romance scams reports that translated into $1.14 billion in reported losses
By ADRIANA MORGA
Published - Feb 14, 2024, 04:33 PM ET
Last Updated - Feb 14, 2024, 04:48 PM EST
NEW YORK (AP) — When Kate Kleinart fell victim of a romance scam, what hurt the most wasn't the thousands of dollars that she lost, but the love that she thought existed between her and the person who scammed her.
“Losing the love was worse than losing the money,” said Kleinart, 70, who lost tens of thousands to a romance scam over several months.
Last year, the Federal Trade Commission received over 64,000 romance scams reports that translated into $1.14 billion in reported losses.
Romance scams often target lonely and isolated individuals, according to Will Maxson, assistant director of the Division of Marketing Practices at the FTC.
