It’s mid-February, and love is in the air! But it’s not all hearts and chocolates. In the Internet age, romance can also mean catfishers, pig butchers and crypto-con artists. According to the FBI, romance scammers—criminals who use fake online identities to emotionally manipulate their victims—have stolen $3.8 million from New Mexicans over the last year. And with the rise of AI, their methods are growing more sophisticated by the day.
On the next Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’re talking about the scammers that want to steal your heart, but only so they can also steal your savings. We’ll look at their methods, hear stories from victims and learn what signs folks need to look out for when they’re chatting up a potential romantic partner on the internet.
And we want to hear from you! Tell us about your sketchiest suitor—when did you first realize that something was off? And what steps do you take to protect yourself when you’re feeling a spark with an on-line Romeo or Juliet who really might be too good to be true? Email us at letstalk@kunm.org, leave us a message on our website, or call in live during the show, Thursday morning at 8.
