Scammers increasingly using romance to grab the finance

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1 minute

The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) has warned people of a rise in romance schemes. It has warned that scammers are increasingly using romance scams by influencing or deceiving a victim.

SAFPS says the aim is to gain control of their computer or steal personal and financial information, to perpetrate fraud and scams.

Elmi Kemp, SAFPS communications leader, explains, “Romance scams are growing in South Africa, with increased access to the internet and the gravitation to social networks and connecting with people online. South Africa’s actually catching up to the rest of the world when it comes to these types of scams.

Basically, a lot of these scams- social engineering plays a major role in these scams- which is really when they use a person’s behaviour and what they share with the world, against them. So, scammers present themselves as a person’s ideal match, and they assume the characteristics of this match in all their interactions. And then once trust or a bond is built, scammers will start alluding to financial struggles or asking for money.”