Authored by Chris Summers and Eva Fu via The Epoch Times,
Romance scams make up a large share of fraud perpetrated against Americans, with scammers often contacting victims through online dating apps, social media, or professional networking sites such as LinkedIn.
They commonly use an image of a beautiful young woman or a handsome man and slowly seduce the victim, persuading them into thinking they are in a romantic relationship before tricking them into handing over money.
The FBI has been targeting international operations, many of which run romance scams against Americans. In its latest round of arrests, the agency arrested 28 suspects at scam centers in Ghana and Nigeria - with help from tech firms including Meta - owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
FBI Director Kash Patel said its agency-led Operation Blackout has led to the arrest of hundreds of alleged scammers, the seizure of $17 billion, and warnings being given to more than 10,000 Americans who were in danger of being swindled out of money.
LinkedIn Message Led to $850,000 Scam
Anola Johnson said she was first contacted by a "very attractive" man on LinkedIn in March 2023, who wooed her online for several weeks.
Johnson, a 69-year-old divor
