The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) is cautioning the general public to be very vigilant and not fall for the emergence of online scams, especially romance scams.

Romance scam which is gradually finding its way into the country is a type of online fraud or scam where fraudsters create fake identities, usually on dating sites, social media, or unsolicited emails to establish intimate relationships with their targets.

The CSA in a statement released on June 12, 2023, indicated that the scammers exploit the victims’ trust to extort something valuable such as money, property, or investments.

The scammers also create attractive and convincing profiles on dating sites or social media platforms using impersonated information and then conduct extensive research on their potential victims based on the targets’ online habits before engaging them.

According to the CSA, the malicious actors then exploit the vulnerabilities of their targets, such as loneliness, insecurity, or previous traumatic experiences to build an emotional connection with them then use flattery, alluring compliments, and affectionate messages to gain their targets’ love, affection and trust.

The statement continued that once trust has been established, the scammers ask for money using various excuses such as medical expenses, business transactions, and travel costs to exploit the victim’s desire to help.

The Cyber Security Authority is therefore advising individuals and the general public never to send money or provide financial assistance to anyone they meet online.

“Be wary of individuals who quickly express strong emotional interest/attachment or make ambitious promises and avoid sharing personal details with someone you have only met online, such as your full name, address, or financial information”, the CSA warns.

The CSA further advised individuals to make use of the 24-hour Cybersecurity/Cyber-crime Incident Reporting Points of Contact (PoC) for reporting cyber-crimes and seek guidance and assistance on online activities.

Sompaonline.com