romance scams
Coverage of romance scams in the Nexus archive.
- [Global] the old advice to ask for a video call to spot a romance scammer is completely dead now
Traditional methods like video calls to verify authenticity in romance scams are ineffective due to real-time deepfake filters and voice cloning technology. Scammers can now use stolen photos and audio clips to create convincing live video and voice interactions, breaking standard verification practices.
- Scam survivors find healing through support groups after devastating financial losses
Scam survivors are finding emotional healing through peer support groups organized by FightCybercrime.org, a nonprofit offering counselor-led recovery programs. Participants share experiences of financial losses from romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, identity theft, and impostor schemes, emphasizing the psychological trauma and stigma they face.
- Tennessee becomes second state to ban cryptocurrency ATMs over scam concerns
Tennessee has become the second U.S. state to ban cryptocurrency ATMs due to concerns about scams. State officials cited overseas criminals using these ATMs for government impersonation, tech support fraud, romance scams, and pig butchering schemes.
- How scammers target grieving victims through online games
Scammers exploit online games like Words With Friends to target grieving or vulnerable players, initiating friendly conversations that eventually shift to financial requests via gift cards. These romance scams, costing billions annually, often involve criminals hiding their identities and using email headers to mask their locations.