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Online dating scams: Australians lost $23m to fraudsters this year
Consumer watchdog says romance cons are the ‘chief culprit’ of online frauds, accounting for 74% of reports made to it
and other unexplained wealth. Photograph: Alamy
Australian Associated Press
Tuesday 9 December 2014 21.50 GMT
Unlucky-in-love Aussies have forked out more than $23m to fraudsters running online dating rorts this year, the consumer watchdog says.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says internet dating scams accounted for 74% of reports made to it since August, labelling romance cons the “chief culprit” of online frauds.
Other common online scams identified by the ACCC related to jobs and investments (10%), unexpected prizes (10%) and unexpected money (6%).
Most victims of online dating scams started an online relationship which led them to send money overseas, ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said.
Scammers targeted both men and woman, with fraudsters getting more tech savvy in targeting prospective victims.
“Just over one third of these people were contacted by the scammer through social media channels,” she said in a statement.
Scammers, many based in west Africa, often used stories about inheritances, gemstone dealings, gold bullion “or other unexplained wealth”.