Someone I just met online says they love me after a few days. Is it a scam?
Very fast, very intense love from someone you have never met is one of the clearest signs of a romance scam. Scammers call it love bombing: it makes you feel special so that you will later say yes to a request for money.
The messages are warm, constant and personal, but they are often the same words sent to many people at once. Pet names like "my queen", "my king" and "my future wife" and long good-morning texts are typical.
This does not mean every fast romance is fake. It means you should slow down and check before you trust.
What to do
- Slow down. Say you want to video call and meet before anything serious. Watch the reaction.
- Copy a few of their most romantic sentences into Google. Romance scripts turn up on scam-warning sites.
- Check whether their photos appear elsewhere under another name.
- Notice whether they ask about your work, your income or whether you live alone.
- Keep your money and your bank details to yourself, no matter how the story goes.
Frequently asked questions
- How does Veritaza help here?
- Check 2 looks for the same wording on the internet. If the messages are a known script, that is a strong sign. R99 per report.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you're chatting to? Veritaza checks the photos, the messages, the number, the email address, the name and the ID document, for R99.
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