A recent analysis of FBI data shows that New Mexicans got swindled big time in 2022 from online dating scams, with stats showing the state saw a massive increase from the 2021 numbers.
The online investigative service Social Catfish, which compiled the figures, reported that nationwide, Americans were swindled out of $1.3 billion due to online dating scams, a 138 percent jump.
The report notes that it is “by far the largest this country has ever seen. Despite increased government warnings, pop culture shows like The Tinder Swindler — which aired last year on Netflix — and increased public awareness, romance scams continue to leave an unprecedented number of Americans broke and heartbroken.”
New Mexico ranked 25th-highest for money lost from romance scams last year, totaling $7.2 million with 128 victims, a big jump from the state formerly being ranked 42nd in 2021.
Residents of the Land of Enchantment were ranked third for the most money lost per victim, totaling an average of $57,001.00 each.
It also had the second-highest jump year over year at 268.7 percent, only being beaten by the state of Arkansas, which saw a mind-boggling 398.1 increase.
“One way to recognize that you are dealing with a romance scammer is not only if they ask you for money, but what form of payment they request. Nearly 35% of all money lost to romance scams in 2022 were sent in using cryptocurrency. However, the most common form of payment requested by scammers is gift cards.”
According to the report, the number of reported losses was 34 percent from cryptocurrencies, 27 percent from bank wire transfers, seven percent from gift cards, three percent from payment apps, and 28 percent from all other forms of currency transfers.
A Social Catfish poll showed 75 percent of victims are college educated, 84 percent are middle-class or low-income, 10 percent of victims losing more than $100,000, and four percent losing more than $200,000.
Read more about the Social Catfish report and how you can avoid scams here.
More evidence of the stupidity of New Mexicans….
Yep…it runs in political circles too…lol..
Cindy, it has nothing to do with stupidity. It is the lack of effort being made to monitor the many get-rich-quick dating apps that operate unmonitored where scammers prey on innocent members. Of course, when it comes to logic and common sense some people throw that out the window because they are lonely and longing for true love. Whatever the case, these scammers are profiting and effective measures need to be taken to stop targeting decent subscribers to these dating apps.
Respectfully disagree, AJ. The overwhelmingly supportive reaction to scamdemic tyranny, the way people vote in this state (cheating helps, of course) & the corrupt, single party system at all levels & voting in the same – over & over – proves my point. And anyone looking for “true love” likely isn’t going to find it on a dating app & if anyone thinks they will, should do due diligence into the apps for legitimacy. I stand by my statement 🤷♀️
How many of these gullible folks are also WalMart shoppers? How many of these fine folks still think there is “FREE” stuff out there? How many people have gone through the New Mexico educational system. How many idiots adhere to the New Mexico “Good Buddy System” Is there New Mexico THINK out there?
People being duped out of money is sad. The “romance duping” is particularly sad. I wonder how much goes unreported, & what it will take to protect people from this nasty fraud. Please continue to draw attention to this issue.
They are targeting the elderly who are living alone.
Many of these victime have some form of dementia.
Once they clean out their bank accounts, they involve them in money laundering.
The scammers work 24/7, often keeping the elderly person up late at night, making them really tired. Many are from out of the country, and the time zone difference / pattern is noticeable. They are experts at telling lonely peoplel what they want to hear, They pretend to be interested and spend the first two weeks gathering intel (animal, names, likes, dislikes, family members names, etc.) They also “test” the person’s memory during this phase. Once they feel the person has some level of memory issues, the game begins. The control game.
The elderly person is so lonely to talk to someone that they easily fall for the love scam. Once the scammer has their hooks in the victim, it is impossible for friends and family to convince them they are being scammed.
The scammer (actually it is more accurate to say team of scammers) then step by step mainpulates and controls the person.
I personally know of 4 people in S. NM, all lonely, all old, and all some form of dementia (some in early stages, and some middle stages), all living at home alone.
Regular law enforcement doesn’t seem to have the resources/technical skills.
FBI is a joke, never even responds to gather additional information…. even when leads are given to where the money that has been scammed out of people wound up.