Protecting yourself from romance scams

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – It’s the time of year when people show love and appreciation to those close to them, but the Bowling Green Police Department is warning about a scam that preys on some of the community’s most vulnerable.

Police say romance scams often target people who have recently lost a spouse or loved one or who may be going through a difficult time.

Scammers work to build trust, sharing emotional stories and forming a romantic connection. Once they gain a victim’s trust, they ask for money, promising a future together that police say never comes.

Bowling Green Police Department public information officer Ronnie Ward says, “They will come up with stories that tug at your heart strings. And all that does is it just takes a few more dollars out of your bank account. And they will continue with this and lead you along, and they’ll make you believe they’re coming here. They’re gonna sweep you off your feet, and they’re going to live happily ever after with you in another state. In another country, whatever. But what we know is they’re just they keep on, they keep on, and they keep on taking money from you. And it may be $100 at a time, $1,000 at a time, but they’ll keep going until you don’t have any more money.”

Ward says scammers tend to go after older adults and encourages family members to stay involved and keep an eye on their loved ones’ financial decisions.