An 80-Year-Old Man Lost 3.7 Billion Won... Dating App Scams Rampant in the US

'Romance Scam,' a scheme in which perpetrators approach the opposite sex in the United States to gain their favor and then defraud them of money, is on the rise.

On the 18th (local time), according to data analyzed by internet information company Social Catfish from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the total amount lost to romance scams in the U.S. last year reached $1.3 billion (1.72 trillion KRW), with approximately 70,000 victims.

Peaches Stergo, who was arrested for living a luxurious life after receiving a total of 3.7 billion won in money and valuables from an 80-year-old man she met on a dating app.
[Photo by U.S. Department of Justice]

원본보기 아이콘

This represents a 138% increase compared to $547 million (720 billion KRW) in 2021 and is nine times higher than $145 million (190 billion KRW) in 2018.

Social Catfish stated, "Despite government authorities issuing warnings and documentaries about dating app scams drawing attention, the scale of romance scams is growing unprecedentedly."

On the 18th (local time), according to data analyzed by the internet information company 'Social Catfish' from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the total amount of damage caused by romance scams in the United States last year reached $1.3 billion (1.72 trillion won), with approximately 70,000 victims. [Image source=Social Catfish]

원본보기 아이콘

Looking at the scale of romance scam damages by U.S. states, California ranked first with 2,189 victims and a total loss of $158.1 million. Following were Texas (1,331 victims, $60.3 million), Florida (1,474 victims, $53.4 million), New York (823 victims, $33.5 million), Arizona (680 victims, $25.4 million), Virginia (552 victims, $24.8 million), Washington (478 victims, $21.1 million), Ohio (502 victims, $20.4 million), North Carolina (422 victims, $18 million), and Illinois (506 victims, $17.7 million).

The average loss per person was also highest in California at $72,239 (95.3 million KRW).

The most commonly used payment method in romance scams was gift cards (24%), followed by cryptocurrency (19%), payment apps (15%), and bank transfers (14%). The payment method with the largest total loss was cryptocurrency (34%), followed by bank transfers (27%).

The most frequently used lies in romance scams included "I (or my family) am sick, injured, or incarcerated" (24%), "I will teach you how to invest" (18%), "I am a soldier deployed overseas" (18%), "I need help moving important items" (18%), and "I want to talk about marriage" (12%).

In the United States, "Romance Scams," where individuals approach the opposite sex to gain favor and then defraud them of money, are on the rise.
[Image source=Pixabay]

원본보기 아이콘

Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced on the 14th that Peaches Sturgo (36), a woman from Florida, admitted to defrauding an man in his 80s she met on an online dating site of a total of $2.83 million (approximately 3.7 billion KRW).

The prosecution stated that Sturgo approached a Jewish man (87) who was looking for a partner on a dating website in 2017, claiming she needed urgent money and began borrowing funds. The victim issued Sturgo a total of 62 personal checks. "Sturgo used this money to purchase luxury homes and designer goods and enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, including vacations at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel," the prosecution said.

In October 2021, the victim confessed the truth to his son, saying, "I lost all the money I saved in my lifetime," and Sturgo was arrested in January.

The final sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 27, and the legal media outlet Law & Crime reported that Sturgo could face up to 20 years in prison.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.