The Office of the Ombudsman for the Elderly has warned about a new trend of fraud against elderly individuals, known as 'love fraud' or romantic scams. Scammers create profiles on social media or dating apps to emotionally manipulate their victims and then ask for money under false pretenses.
According to Valeria Rosario, special aide to the ombudsman, these scammers target vulnerable victims, especially elderly individuals who are widowed or lonely. The scammers use tactics such as love bombing, financial requests, and even identity theft.
Rosario mentioned that the agency recently handled a case of an elderly woman who was a victim of a romantic scam by a foreign person who requested a $100,000 transfer. The Office of the Ombudsman for the Elderly is trying to raise awareness about this new modality of fraud and is urging family members to be vigilant.