While many single adults are turning to online dating and dating apps to find romantic partners, it’s vital to remember that the same technology that connects us also serves as a haven for predators and scammers.
According to a new Wells Fargo survey, more than half of all singles in the United States (52%) have used a dating app or online dating site, including one in every five singles aged 65 and above (20%). Furthermore, of the 52% of singles who have used a dating app or online dating site, nearly two-thirds (63%) had been approached by someone they suspected of being a scammer — including 58% of those over 65.
Furthermore, of all singles surveyed, one in three (33%) have known somebody who fell for an online romance scam, including 27% of those over 65. A third of all singles (30%) have close family or friends whom they consider to be vulnerable to romance scams, though a third as many (just 11%) consider themselves vulnerable.
When it comes to scams more generally, nearly a third (30%) have had a family member who lost money to a scam, and as many (31%) have been scammed themselves or have given out financial information they later regretted, as per the survey of Wells Fargo, a leading financial services company and a middle-market banking provider in the US.
