Dating and romance scams try to lower your defences by appealing to your romantic or compassionate side.

Some of these scams work by setting up a dating website where you pay for each email or message you send and receive. The scammer will send a whole series of vague-sounding emails filled with gushing talk of love or desire. The scammer might also send emails filled with details of their home country or town that do not refer to you much at all. These are all attempts to keep you writing back and paying money for use of the scammer’s dating website.

Of course, there are many legitimate dating websites, but scammers can target these too.

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