{"id":18397,"date":"2021-01-03T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-03T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comparehero.my\/blog\/uncategorized\/online-love-scams.html"},"modified":"2026-03-26T16:02:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T08:02:03","slug":"online-love-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comparehero.my\/blog\/financial-safety\/online-love-scams.html","title":{"rendered":"Online Love Scams: Here\u2019s How To Outsmart A Romance Scammer!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many Malaysians have fallen for online love scams during the pandemic, causing them to lose thousands of ringgit or more. If you’re one of the victims (or want to avoid becoming one), read below to find out how to spot and avoid romance scammers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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We shake our heads in disbelief when people lose money in online love scams. \u201cWah, it was so obvious! How can they fall for that?\u201d That\u2019s what we tell ourselves, confident that we\u2019ll never become a victim. Well, don\u2019t be too sure about that. Malaysians are still losing money to love scams as con artists target lonely people living in pandemic-related isolation.<\/p>\n

Malaysia recorded 481 cases involving love scams during the period between March 18 and June 30 last year. According to Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Mohamed Said in a The Malaysian Reserve<\/a> report, these cases involved losses amounting to RM18.1 million.<\/p>\n

Along with e-commerce fraud, Macau scams<\/a>, non-existent loan schemes and SMS frauds, love scams remain among the most common financial scams in Malaysia.<\/p>\n

In August 2020, Free Malaysia Today<\/a> reported that a businessman told police he lost RM295,950 due to an online love scam involving his 14-year-old son. The victim\u2019s son had allegedly befriended a girl via a social site, who then persuaded the victim\u2019s son to lend her money.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in October 2020, The New Straits Times<\/a> reported that a woman in her 50s was duped out of RM480,000 by a man she had befriended on social media.<\/p>\n

Despite police crackdowns and news reports that highlight the danger of online romance scams, we still hear about cases like these on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

Why are so many people falling for love scams?<\/h2>\n

Online dating apps such as Match, OkCupid and Bumble have grown in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as singles embrace digital dating in the new normal.<\/p>\n

The ASEAN Post <\/a>reported that between September and October 2020, dating apps in the U.S. experienced a surge in usage with Match growing by 21%, while OkCupid grew 21% and Bumble expanded by 16%.<\/p>\n

The same report also revealed that similar increases have been recorded in other parts of the world. Chinese dating app Tantan stated that its average usage in February 2020 increased by over 30% compared with pre-pandemic usage.<\/p>\n

While these apps are suitable platforms to meet new people, users should take certain precautions while socialising.<\/p>\n

Identity security counsellor Suli Malet-Warden, who works with IDCARE (Australia and New Zealand\u2019s national identity & cyber support service), told ABC News (Australia)<\/a> that scammers hook their victims by using the complex language of love to connect with them.<\/p>\n

“The language is really important. When we speak to victims they say they’ve been connected, prolifically in the initial stages, using extremely validating language and we are all suckers for it,” Malet-Warden said.<\/p>\n

“Being told how much they are loved, how wonderful they are\u2026 they use that sort of validating language and the prolific nature of it, regular text messages not just through the day, but through the night. The victim is then expecting those validating messages to come through. They’re incredibly supportive, they’re appealing, they’re flattering, they’re soothing,\u201d the identity security counsellor added.<\/p>\n

In the same article, Malet-Warden also pointed out that the process results in our brains releasing certain chemicals such as dopamine \u2013 which causes euphoric feelings, as well as rising oxytocin levels that increases our level of trust.<\/p>\n

Related: <\/strong>10 simple ways to avoid getting scammed (and what to do if you\u2019re a victim)<\/a><\/p>\n

Three ways to spot a romance scammer<\/h2>\n

Besides the extremely supportive and flattering messages, here are other surefire ways to spot a romance scammer.<\/p>\n

1. Your date professes his love quickly<\/h3>\n

Alarm bells should be ringing in your head when a person says that he or she is in love with you within a short period of time. It\u2019s a strategy scammers utilise to persuade you to share your personal information and indirectly, the answers to security questions that you use to secure important accounts online.<\/p>\n

2. Your date is working overseas<\/h3>\n

The person might claim to be a foreigner with a thriving career outside Malaysia. Your online romantic interest could be \u201cstaying\u201d in the U.S. or Europe. The other \u201cprofessions\u201d that romance scammers have been known to use are:<\/p>\n