The backstory behind your Valentine's Day flowers
Most flowers sold during the holiday rush are coming through Miami's airport from multiple countries.
LEARN MORERomance scams becoming more common as stigma around reporting remains
Romance scams are the type of scam that people lose the most money to, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Shutterstock
January 29, 2023
Romance scams aren't just an issue around Valentine's Day; they're an issue year-round and they're widely underreported.
Dating apps are displaying messages warning people about these scams.
They're joining the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators to try to get more people to report the scams.
"A lot of victims are either too embarrassed once they realize they've fallen victim to a crime like this, or they are in fear if they're a senior that maybe some of their freedom or you know the financial aspect of things that someone will take over their financial business," said Mark Solomon with the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators.
Romance scams are the type of scam that people lose the most money to, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Romance scams hit a record high in 2021, with $547 million reportedly lost, which was up nearly 80 percent compared to 2020.
And there's still a stigma around these scams.
"It makes sense that they feel this way," said Justin Lehmiller, a research fellow with the Kinsey Institute. "When you look at the reaction to romance scams that you see on social media or in the comments section on news websites, whenever romance scams are reported, if you check the comments, you're gonna see a lot of people who are blaming the victim. They say things like. 'How could you be so stupid?' 'How could you fall for this?' 'How did you not see through this?'"
Lehmiller said having empathy for these victims, which could end up being any of us, is part of how we reduce the stigma. Cybercrime investigators recommend staying on the dating app as long as possible and not moving to another way to communicate.
Also, be skeptical of anyone who appears to be wealthy and wants to teach you to invest.
And if someone appears desperate for help and money is involved, that's another big red flag.
TikTok's CEO tries to convince lawmakers app isn't a security risk
As TikTok's CEO Shou Zi Chew was set to testify before a House committee on risks, his app connected 150 million active users in the U.S. alone.
3:17
First-of-its-kind cyberpsychology course leads tech research
Graduate students are researching the symbiotic relationship we have with technology, whether it is phones, computers, or gaming platforms.
Annual report shows a record 146B cyber-threats detected last year
Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity, reported a 55% surge in cyber threats in 2022.
Top Stories
10:24
Why does today's audience say certain fictional characters are gay?
In this segment of "Pop Quiz," Scripps News explores how historians and viewers are speculating about queer subtext in new and old media.
2:50
Los Angeles school support staff at an impasse in higher pay talks
Cafeteria workers, bus drivers and other school support staff employees say the district isn't meeting their requests.
3:01
This basketball magazine is mixing art with 'outlandish' sport stories
Flagrant Magazine is carving out its own space in the sports media industry by mixing abstract basketball art with culture stories from off the court.
