Beware of romance scammers exploiting vulnerable individuals online - Fraud expert warns

Technology has undoubtedly provided immense benefits to the world, but it has also given scammers an opportunity to exploit vulnerable individuals, particularly in the realm of romance scams, fraud management and investigations, specialist Ransford Nana Addo Junior has said.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen show, he emphasised the importance of caution in preventing romance scams.

“Full-time scammers dedicate their time to monitoring and studying the social media posts of both wealthy and depressed individuals before reaching out to them,” explains Nana Addo Junior.

By gaining knowledge of their targets’ likes, dislikes, and personal details, these scammers often operate as part of a team.

According to him, greed plays a significant role in romance scams as victims tend to believe online content that appears too good to be true.

To protect oneself, he recommends that active online users only engage with secure websites and conduct thorough research by looking up reviews to ensure the authenticity of sites and offers.

Moreover, he highlighted loneliness as a key vulnerability that romance scammers exploit.