According to the police, the fraudster had contacted the woman via a social media platform in early October and posed as a well-known tennis player from Germany of a similar age. The woman from Graz believed the man and a romantic internet chat developed.
From “Love Game” to “Love Scam”
But the supposed “love game” – as a service or return game in tennis is called – became a “love scam”, as such fraud is called. When it came to arranging a personal meeting, the alleged professional demanded several thousand euros. The 32-year-old transferred the money to several Turkish accounts, but only became suspicious when the tennis player asked for more money. She filed a complaint.
“Love scams” happen again and again. The perpetrators use the affection of women and men to persuade the victim to pay. There are both female and male victims. With telephone calls, e-mails and other forms of communication, the victims are pretended to be in a kind of relationship and financially exploited.
“Love is Blind”
Crime prevention gave some tips in this context:
- Protect your own identity online. All of the personal data you provide will make it easier for the perpetrator to do his job.
- Avoid exchanging personal photos or video recordings with the perpetrator at all costs. This makes it easier for the perpetrator to carry out the crime later by possibly putting you under pressure by publishing such pictures.
- A first face-to-face meeting should always be preceded by phone calls. First meetings should always take place in public and/or well-attended places.
- Don’t be afraid to file a complaint; we all know: “Love is blind!” This is also the reason why perpetrators exploit the emotional world of the later victim in order to get his money.
Source: Nachrichten
