Romance scammers impersonating Americans are rampant. It is a sneaky trick to pretend to be an American online, posing as a lover or partner, and defrauding the victim of money. This technique is called a “romance scam” and causes the victim to develop romantic feelings and fall victim to a scam.
What to do if you suspect a romance scam
If you suspect a romance scam, it’s most important to identify the suspicious person early and verify the other person’s identity early.
- Notice suspicious behavior and patterns
- Romance scams are characterized by rapid declarations of love, requests for financial assistance, inconsistent stories and contradictory information. Watch closely for suspicious behavior and patterns.
- Review and research information
- Collect information about your relationship partner (full name, address, phone number, photo, etc.) and research them online on social media and search engines. You may find a person in the same photo registered under a different name.
- Request identity verification
- Try to make real contact with your partner, such as suggesting a video call to verify their identity. If you are a real person, you should be able to communicate directly. But scammers try to avoid video calls for various reasons.
- Talk to a consultant or specialist
- If you have any doubts or concerns, we recommend that you consult a trusted friend or family member, or a fraud specialist such as a police, lawyer, or detective. Get more professional advice.
Case Study
American Military Women in Syria
The client received a love confession from Jenny, an American soldier he met on SNS. She had an Instagram account and presented documents such as a military ID card and passport. The client suspects that they may have approached you for fraudulent purposes. The client wanted to make sure that she was real and that what she was saying was true.
Photo provided
Photos on the net
The investigation confirmed that the other party is a scammer. The scammers were plagiarizing photos of real Instagrammers. Photos of real people are also used as aliases on English dating apps, and it has been confirmed that they are plagiarized.
Japanese American Military Doctor
I’ve been exchanging messages through messengers and lines for a few days. The other person is gentlemanly and funny, and he consults with me and consults with the other person. Mr. Nakamura was born in Yokohama, and the client met a major-general Japanese American soldier on social media. The subject is currently conducting peacekeeping operations in Damascus, Syria. Widowed, his only daughter is at a military school in England. He is nearing retirement. Later, he plans to move to Japan to marry his client. Although he still has a mission to do and will not be able to come to Japan soon. He asked his clients to keep him with souvenirs and precious metals from his retirement. While the client was waiting for the package, the logistician told him that if the client received the package, he would have to pay US$13,000 to change the name of the package. He said there was $100,000 worth of precious metals in the package and that he wanted him to pay for the name change.
“I have doubts about the existence of the package and whether Mr. Nakamura is a scam. If he’s true, I’m sorry, but I’d like to talk to him.” (Client’s Interview)
Photo provided
Photos on the net
The investigation confirmed that the other party is a scammer. It turns out that the scammers plagiarized photos of real, Kazakh businessmen. Even in American dating apps, the same photo was reused under a different name.
Japanese American Millionaire
The client met a wealthy Japanese-American man on a language learning matching app. He is widowed and is currently single and has a mansion in the United States. My father is American and my mother is Japan, so I can have a Japanese conversation.
Photo provided by the scammer
Photos on the net
After investigation, it turned out that the opponent is a romance scammer.
The scammers were plagiarizing photos of real-life fashion designers in Malaysia.
Handsome Korean man living in Japan
The client met a Korean man living in Japan through SNS. I was also presented with a Japan residence card, but he asked for money. The client suspects that he is a fraudster.
Photo provided by the scammer
Photos on the net
After investigation, it turned out that the other party is a scammer. The scammer plagiarized photos of real-life Korean fitness YouTubers.
Summary
Romance scammers pose as Americans or Koreans and approach their victims through SNS. Then, they make the victim feel romantic and defraud them of money. If you feel suspicious, you should immediately check their background. Scammers are plagiarizing photos of real people to forge identity cards.
If you have difficulty verifying your identity, please feel free to contact us.
