NH AG: Don’t Be Blinded or Scammed By Love

Love is in the air with plenty of chocolates, flowers, and cards. But, New Hampshire Attorney General has a dose of reality to go with it in the form of a warning about romance scams.

Romance scammers typically look for their victims on online dating and social media websites, and try to earn their trust and begin a relationship in an effort to get money and personal information, according to Attorney General John M. Formella.

Singles, especially those who are recently divorced or widowed, are the most common targets. Formella said that there are several signs a scammer may be trying to get your attention, including:

• The person provides too much personal information too soon
• The person quickly tries to lure you off a dating website or social media to communicate through text, e-mail, or instant messaging
• The person has poor spelling and grammar
• The person makes excuses for why you cannot meet in person
• The person claims to be living or traveling outside the U.S. (often claiming to be in the military or working on an “oil rig.”)
• The person claims he or she is trapped abroad and needs your money to get back home
• The person asks that you send gift cards, cell phones, or cryptocurrency
• The person says that he or she has millions of dollars but can only access the funds if you first provide them money or other property

Formella said that if you or a loved one has lost money or property as a result of a romance scam, contact your police department and the New Hampshire Consumer Protection Hotline at 603-271-3641.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH