A new study shows online dating is surging during Coronavirus, and Florida residents are the No. 2 most at-risk for online romance scams.
Online daters seeking love were scammed out of $362 million in 2018, a 70% increase from the previous year.
During the pandemic, online dating platform Bumble reported a 21% increase. Hard hit states New York and San Francisco were even higher at 26% and 23% respectively. Tinder reported a 10-15% weekly increase and the hardest hit countries like Spain and Italy are up 25%.
One thing is clear, romance and catfishing scams are bound to go up even higher in 2020, especially in places where the coronavirus is more prominent.
SocialCatfish.com — a leading resource to verify online identities — today released a study on the Most At-Risk States For Online Dating Scams using data from the FBI from 2019.
- Florida ranked No. 2 in the country with 1,363 reported victims. Vermont reported the fewest victims of all 50 states with just 23 cases.
- 5 States with the Most Victims: California (2,206), Florida (1,363), Texas (1,287), New York (931), Pennsylvania (607).
- 5 States with the Fewest Victims: Vermont (25), South Dakota (27), North Dakota (36), D.C. (36), Wyoming (44)
Here are 4 Signs You Are Being Catfished During Coronavirus:
- They want to move fast in the relationship. The sooner they gain your trust, the faster they can ask for money. Move at a normal pace.
- They don’t want to video chat with you. If someone won’t meet, or even video chat, it is likely they are not who they say they are.
- They ask for money. If anyone courting you online asks for money – in this case perhaps related to treating COVID-19 – this is the ultimate red flag and you should cease communication.
- They have poor grammar. If they claim to be from the United States yet don’t know how to write sentences or spell words, run.
To avoid becoming a victim, thoroughly fact-check and verify online identities before meeting in person or providing any information about yourself.
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
