DAYTON — Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day, and scammers know that too. Banks are trying to protect people from falling victim to romance scams this Valentine’s Day.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Rebecca D’Antonio met “Matthew” online, and they quickly grew close.
“He made me feel valued, he made me feel heard. He made me feel, like, feel special,” she said.
Then, emergencies started happening, and he asked for money.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Dillard’s sets opening date for Beavercreek location
- Driver leaves scene after hitting man, 2 cars in Dayton neighborhood, police say
- Dayton Arcade announces opening date for retail marketplace
“He’s the victim, and I need to help him, you know, and, but you know, he’ll fix everything when he gets home,” D’Antonio said.
She ended up losing tens of thousands of dollars.
“He was able to disarm me,” she added. “When my scam actually ended, I still didn’t know I had been scammed.”
D’Antonio is far from alone. The Federal Trade Commission said Americans lost over $1 billion to romance scams in 2023.
“It’s becoming one of the fastest growing scams out there,” Kenya Taylor, VP Dayton Area Community Manager for Chase Bank, said.
Taylor told News Center 7 that part of her job is letting the community know of the scams going on out there.
“For people who are lonely and maybe don’t have any family or friends, that is something that’s welcomed,” she said. “It’s something they’re looking for. They’re searching. It’s filling an empty voice for them. Unfortunately, the scammers know this, and they prey on that loneliness.”
As reported on News Center 7 at 5:30, romance scams are one of the costliest for victims, and that cost is going up. In 2023, Ohioans lost more than $26 million to romance scams. In just the first nine months of 2024, Ohioans lost more than $33 million.
“If you have not physically met this person, and verify that they are indeed somebody who is real and relevant, and truly for you, you shouldn’t send them money,” Taylor added.
With so many scams popping up, banks like Chase Bank are now specifically training their tellers to look for signs of fraud.
“It’s our job to make sure you’re protected, and the last thing we want to happen to you is to be taken advantage of,” she said.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]