On the Internet, it’s easy to pretend to be someone you are not. Are you really friends with all of your “Friends” on Facebook? Do you have a lot of personal information on a dating site? With so much information about us online, a scammer can easily sound like someone who already knows you. Or in the case of online dating, they can sound like they want to get to know you better.
How to Avoid This Scam:
Don’t believe everything you hear, and be sure to verify that a person really is who they say they are before you give them any contact information, and especially before you send any money. Be wary of links, too. Many social media apps, funny websites and links to shocking videos are just distractions to get you to click on something that downloads a virus onto your computer.