By John A. Tures, Professor of Political Science, LaGrange College

As we approach Valentine’s Day, it’s important to note that more than ten million Americans may find themselves targeted by an online romance attempt where money, not love, is at the core of the relationship, with potentially devastating consequences. And it’s likely that the number of targets, and victims, are twice that number. Georgia’s Secretary of State Office is seeking to educate the Peach State on how to spot such scams, and protect yourself, in the modern era.

It may shock you but online dating goes back quite awhile. A bridesmaid from our wedding found a guy online in the 1990s, back when calls were made on phones with cords, and we had a group get together to watch a video rented from Blockbuster. They’ve been married since. But such long-distance relationships forged by pen, paper and letter go even further back.

But such schemes are being manipulated for financial gain. And it’s happening here in Cobb County. As Fox5 Atlanta reports, a man from Marietta took on an assumed name, swindled a series of victims with fake romantic relationships, and then laundered the money. The U.S. Attorney prosecuting the case in New Orleans thanked the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI for their work.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Press Team reports “11 million Americans — have made what they believed to be a romantic connection online and were ultimately asked for financial help or encouraged to invest in cryptocurrency, leading to often severe financial and emotional distress. Adults ages 50 to 64 are especially at risk, receiving fake solicitations at more than double the rate of those 65 and older (13 percent versus 5 percent). About 16 percent of adults 50 and older, roughly 1 in 6, say they or someone they know has had money stolen through a romance scam.”

Financial scams can affect nearly everyone. When I told a fellow professor who is far smarter and more experienced than I am, he confided to me, and students, how he nearly fell for a scam which would have looted his credit card and back account (though not involving romance).

“Despite the scale of the problem, reporting remains low,” AARP adds. “According to our survey, more than half (55 percent) of adults who lost money said they never reported it, and among those who do report, only 26% go to law enforcement and 23% contact their bank or credit union—indicating major gaps in consumer reporting pathways.”

The best way to avoid such scams to not fall for one. Thankfully, our political leaders are getting wise to the situation, and have ways of helping. “Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is pleased to announce that his office will be hosting a FIN FIT webinar on Monday, February 23 at 6pm titled, “Love Under Threat: The Rise of Romance Scams.”

I strongly suggest that you watch these, to protect yourself and friends who might be targeted. “To register for this free webinar, click here. To learn more about FIN FIT, click here. To watch previous financial literacy webinars, click here.  To view our financial literacy events calendar, click here.”

I’d like to point out that such scams don’t just hit older people. My research for the Cobb County Courier on holiday scams showed college students are just as likely to have a bullseye on their back as senior citizens. Georgia Secretary of State’s Office responded by contacting me to host one of their webinars helping young people prepare themselves for a better financial future, including avoiding scams.

What if you are, or feel you are about to be victimized by such a scam? As noted earlier, most don’t report it because they are too ashamed to admit that they are duped, or don’t realize that they have fallen for it. If you are a victim, or have a family member or friend who made a mistake, get them to realize that these are often master criminals, not some fly-by-night operation, and those folks are genius-level villains at the level of Hans Gruber from the movie “Die Hard,” who make a profession of fleecing people. The only shame should be in not reporting it. Saying or doing nothing is how these James Bond villain types keep racking up the victims. Fight back! Get the authorities and allies on the case.

AARP states “If you realize that a relationship is a lie, stop contact immediately and save everything connected to the crime, such as messages and receipts. Report the crime to local law enforcement or the FBI’s IC3.gov. Contact your financial institution to see if there is any way to get your money back. Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time for guidance and support.”

As I noted earlier, online relationships don’t have to turn out like the Lady Gaga song title “Bad Romance.” One can find love, as our close friend, and so many others, have found. Not reporting scams can pretty much ruin that for the rest of us.

John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia. His views are his own. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu or on “X” at @johntures2. His first book “Branded” a thriller novel, has been published by the Huntsville Independent Press (https://www.huntsvilleindependent.com/product-page/branded).