Online dating scammers are on the prowl. Thats according to the ACCC who revealed dating scams costs Aussies a whooping $21 million each last year.
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2,100 of us were victims of dating and romance scams in 2011 as reported to the consumer watchdog, the ACCC.
And dating scams cost victims a grand total of $21 million with the financial loss (and not to mention a broken heart) on average over $20,000 each according to the ACCC.
After forming a relationship via dating websites a scammer will pose as a loved up “admirer” playing on emotional triggers, says ACCC Deputy Chair, Dr Michael Schaper, but really all they’re after is your dough.
“After forming a relationship with the victim, the scammer plays on emotional triggers to get the victim to provide money, gifts or personal details,” Dr Schaper warns.
Online dating is an increasingly common way for people to meet each other but there’s a growing number of scammers undermining public trust in legitimate dating and romance websites, and is a “major concern” to the watchdog, he added.
Dating and romance website operators have taken significant steps to tackle the problem of online scammers, but the problem continues to grow as online dating becomes more common.
“These scams often see a genuine user of a dating website being contacted by a potential admirer who is a scammer in disguise.”
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has launched guidelines to help dating and romance websites to combat scammers.
These include: appropriate scam warnings and information, internal vetting and checking to detect scammers and effective complaint handling procedures.
The watchdog is calling on the dating industry to implement these guidelines and reducing the harm caused by these scams.
