Orlando among most dangerous cities for online dating study shows


Orlando among most dangerous cities for online dating, study shows
ORLANDO, Fla. – Love is in the air in the City Beautiful — along with plenty of romance scams, according to a study by BestVPN.org.
Orlando among most dangerous cities for online dating, study shows
FTC provides tips for spotting scammers for those trying to find love online
Published: February 14, 2023, 6:53 PM
Orlando generic (Pixabay)
ORLANDO, Fla. – Love is in the air in the City Beautiful — along with plenty of romance scams, according to a study by BestVPN.org.
Florida Trade Commission data released last year shows that romance scams have cost people about $1.3 million between 2017 and 2021, and those numbers are increasing.
These scams can often include fake profiles on dating apps as scammers plead for help with some kind of phony crisis, FTC officials said.
“The scammers’ stories might involve a sick child or a temporary inability to get to their money for a whole range of reasons,” the FTC report reads. “People who lost money to a romance scammer often report sending money repeatedly: they believe they’re helping someone they care about. But it’s all a lie.”
News 6 has reported on various romance scams in Florida, including a saga involving Alex the Officer, a catfish scheme using Miami cruise line manager Alessandro Cinquini’s face, resulting in him receiving messages from the U.S. to India. He and his girlfriend, Nicole Hayden, have been fighting these fake impostors, and now are even giving voice to the victims of online romance schemes.
It’s just one example of many online dating scams experienced across the country.
BestVPN.org’s study shows that the top three safest metro cities for online dating include Boulder, Colorado; Eugene, Oregon; and Salem, Oregon.
However, among the least safe metro cities is Florida’s own City Beautiful: Orlando.
According to BestVPN.org, the study took into account factors like the number of identity theft cases, fraud incidents, registered sex offenders when determining the list. Below are the figures for Orlando:
ID Theft Cases per 100,000 People: 472
Fraud per 100,000 People: 1,050
STDs per 100,000 People: 1,321
Registered Sex Offenders per 100,000 People: 849
Violent Crime per 100,000 People: 835
Sex Offenders: 2,425
Above Orlando, the study shows that the least safe cities for online dating include St. Louis, Missouri (No. 6); Cleveland, Ohio (No. 5); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (No. 4); Baltimore, Maryland (No. 3); Memphis, Tennessee (No. 2); and Las Vegas, Nevada (No. 1).
The FTC has the following tips for spotting scammers if you’re looking for love online.
Nobody legitimate will ever ask you to help by sending cryptocurrency, giving the numbers on a gift card or wiring money. Anyone who does is a scammer.
Never send or forward money for someone you haven’t met in person, and don’t act on their investment advice.
Talk to friends or family about a new love interest, and pay attention if they’re concerned.
Try a reverse-image search of profile pictures. If the details don’t match up, it’s a scam.
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