How to Choose a Romance Scam Recovery Company?
One of the only things more devastating than falling victim to a scam is simultaneously losing a love interest because it was romance fraud.
If you’re screaming, “That’s me!” you’re not alone. Grim statistics by the Federal Trade Commission show that people lost $304 million to romance scams in 2020.
As a silver lining, romance scam recovery companies might be able to help you get your money back. We’ll talk about the qualities to look for in these companies, along with the types of scam recovery services they offer.
Tips for Identifying a Legitimate Romance Scam Recovery Company
Romance scam recovery companies can be a lifesaver for romance scam victims. Unfortunately, some fraudsters pose as romance scam recovery agencies. Therefore, our tips below will help ensure that you work with a legitimate company.
1. Doesn’t Ask for Money Upfront
Most legitimate romance scam recovery companies work for free if or until they get your money back. If they can’t recover your money, you don’t pay a dime. If they do, they usually have a commission structure based on the total amount.
CEL Solicitors is an excellent example of a romance scam recovery company that offers a “no win, no fee” policy.
2. Has Many Positive Reviews
Polls show that over 70% of people trust a business more if they have positive reviews.
However, good reviews are one of several factors you should consider when choosing a romance scam recovery company.
Other items include checking that the reviews come from trusted sources (third-party websites and the company’s site) and ensuring recent reviews. Furthermore, it’s important to note if and how the company responds to any negative reviews.
3. Avoids Making Promises
Romance scam recovery companies are often influential. However, they can’t promise that they’ll get your money or belongings back.
Therefore, you should avoid working with any business that guarantees they will. If it does, you’re likely facing another scam.
4. Provides a Free Consultation
As you’ll soon learn, romance fraud comes in many shapes and forms. For this reason, you must speak with a romance scam recovery company to share your story.
By doing so, the company will give you an idea of whether you’re a good fit for each other. They also might share examples of success stories with similar clients.
Types of Scams a Romance Scam Recovery Company Can Help You With
Romance scams primarily occur online. Often, they happen before you even meet the love interest personally. Below are some of the most common approaches that romance scammers use when approaching their next victim.
Gift requests: The scammer asks you to pay the medical bills or travel expenses to visit you. They also might ask for expensive items like jewelry.
Asking you to send items: When a scammer sends you expensive items with the request that you use your address to send them elsewhere. They may also wire money to you and ask you to buy and ship the items. Don’t do this; it could be a criminal offense.
Gold sharing: A scammer states that they want to move gold or money out of their country and split it with you if you send them cash to cover taxes or fees.
Personal harm: A scammer may convince you to come to their country or meet in an unsafe place to take your money and do physical harm.
How to Avoid Romance Scams
If you’re reading this for preventative reasons or because you suspect a love interest might be trying to scam you, below are tips for avoiding romance fraud.
- Ask for the person’s full name and research them online.
- Type in the person’s profession, name, and the word “scammer” to see if anything comes up.
- Reverse search the person’s profile picture in Google. If it comes up under a different name(s), it’s likely a scam.
- Listen to your gut and stop talking to the person if something feels off. You don’t owe them anything.
Wrap Up
Falling victim to a romance scam is financially frustrating and emotionally devastating. If you’re a woman, you need to be extra careful—it appears scammers hone in on a woman’s desire to help others, with 63% of romance fraud happening to females. Luckily, romance scam recovery companies might be able to help you recover your money. By following the advice in this article, you’ll be able to identify a trustworthy anti-romance fraud business better to work with.