Scammers net big bucks from lonely hearts in rural places

Romance scams, often referred to as “catfishing” or “pig-butchering” scams, stand out among the many fraudulent schemes proliferating the Internet, with some of the most devastating consequences for victims.

Unlike the wonderful fishing experiences typical of Wyoming, catfishing is an online scam that lures a person into thinking they’re in a romantic relationship or friendship for the sole purpose of separating the victim from his or her hard-earned cash. Once hooked in this type of scam, the consequences can be disastrous for the victim, resulting in heartbreak and, in some cases, big financial losses. 

It is a common scam reported to local law enforcement and nationwide to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s cybercrimes division and the Federal Trade Commission. The FBI reported alarming increases in both the frequency and financial impact of all types of online fraud. Its cybercrimes division reported complaints received by the FBI doubled in volume from 2019 to 2023.

Romance scam statistics are staggering. The FTC reported 70,000 people fell victim to romance scams in 2022. The victims reported losing $1.3 billion to romance scammers in that same year, with an average loss of about $4,400 per person. Most reported that their scammers used fake personas to make them feel like they were in a relationship before enticing them to send money. Scammers refer to this technique used to gain a victim’s trust as “fattening the pig.”

According to Big Horn County Sheriff Ken Blackburn, there are so many different scams proliferating the Internet right now it’s hard for local law enforcement, with its limited resources, to keep track of them all. He said he’s seen local victims of romance scams, in particular, lose anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to thousands to as much as $50,000 to $100,000.

“These scammers will try to take everything they can,” he said. “I’ve seen them take savings, whole retirements and anything else that can be cashed out.”

In a catfishing or pig-butchering scam a predator creates a completely fictitious persona using stolen photographs and made-up information. Most often, the real person pictured is completely unaware that his or her photo is being used in the scheme. Often the information about the fake persona is custom designed for the victim based on the victim’s social media posts, personal information like age and by using innocent information shared during online chats between the scammer and the victim.

It’s a long game with the explicit goal of playing on the victim’s heartstrings for financial gain. It’s not uncommon for a team of highly trained scammers to work on a victim 24/7. They are highly trained, often working from international call centers run by organized crime organizations.

Variations

The romance scam has many variations. Recently, victims have reported get-rich-quick schemes, sextortion and other ploys interwoven into the romance scam. The tactics used are insidious, but often extremely effective, leaving victims heartbroken and, in extreme cases, penniless.

Get-rich-quick schemes have become so prevalent on the Internet that the U.S. Securities Commission issued a warning to the public cautioning about unsolicited investment opportunities, especially those involving crypto or cash apps, because it is very difficult to retrieve money lost through those means.

People living in rural areas can be perfect targets, especially those who are lonely, kind-hearted and willing to lend a helping hand to a complete stranger. Though cautious to a certain extent, they are by far more likely to take a person at their word than people in big cities.

“I don’t think people are too overly trusting here,” said Blackburn, “but I do think people here are very kind and not used to encountering a lot of bad people. If they see someone suspicious looking, their instinct tells them not to trust them. The problem is Internet scammers have the advantage of disguising who they really are and, since you don’t interact with them in person, they can easily make themselves seem legitimate.”

Blackburn noted that it is possible but very difficult for victims to verify the identity of a person they met online. He said he’s seen documents produced by scammers like driver’s licenses and passports that look amazingly authentic. Scammers will even go so far as to create fake websites posing as shipping companies, investment firms and banks to trick a victim into thinking a transaction they are making is legitimate.

One of the most insidious aspects of romance scams is that scammers often play on a victim’s emotions.

“Any time you have emotions involved, whether it’s fear or love, the emotion tends to overrule common sense,” Blackburn explained. “Love is a very powerful emotion. It can be used for good but can also be used for very bad and painful things. Anytime you have love involved, it’s easy for people to lose common sense. That’s why they call it ‘head over heels.’  Criminals are very good at using our emotions against us, and that’s something to always be considered and factored into any situation.”

(Editor’s note: This story is part of a two-part series about romance scams.)