Sarah Sharkey
6 min read
With the increasing popularity of dating apps and social media, romance scams have been on the rise in recent years.
Back in 2022, approximately 70,000 Americans had reportedly been victimized in a romance scam, with the financial losses totalling around $1.3 billion, according to the Federal Trade Commission. And while that number of victims may sound alarming, it’s important to note that the 70,000 total only represents those who reported the scam to the police.
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As you may understand, some victims might have been far too embarrassed to report the crime and admit that they were swindled out of money. In fact, one Reddit user recently shared that their aunt is one of those silent victims.
As they explained in their Reddit post, the user’s aunt — who was not named, but let’s call her Shirley — lost $270,000 in a romance scam and decided not to report the crime to the police. Making matters worse, Shirley is retired and is now forced to sell her home, and her ex — she’s also in the middle of a divorce — is entitled to one-third of the proceeds from the sale of the house.
The Reddit user, concerned about their aunt’s wellbeing, now wants to help Shirley recover financially and get back on her feet. Unfortunately, the best course of action would have been to immediately report the crime to the police and the Federal Trade Commission, but that doesn't mean this Reddit user can't be helpful.
First things first, it’s critical to make sure that Shirley doesn’t lose any more money to the scammer. The Reddit user can start by helping her with securing all of her accounts with new passwords. The next step would be to alert all of Shirley’s financial institutions and block further communication from the scammer.
If Shirley’s accounts are completely compromised, consider helping her with setting up a new bank account and moving any money that she still has into that secure location. Once the remaining funds are secured, it’s time to assess the damage.
Shirley lost $270,000 to the scammer, but as the Reddit user notes, her financial troubles don’t end there. During this ordeal, Shirley racked up $40,000 in credit card debt. She also borrowed money from family and friends, and she still has to pay off her mortgage once she’s sold her house. This, as you can see, is a tough situation for a retiree who lives on a fixed income and recently lost her life savings.
