Got a New Online Friend? Be Wary

Romance scams have been a reliable source of income for digital criminals for years. But a new, more subtle variation of that fraud is seeing an uptick. Instead of seducing vulnerable people online with promises of romance, some scammers are creating a (false) bond with victims by convincing them they share a common interest, according to Amy Nofziger, AARP director of fraud victim support. Fraud experts often refer to this as affinity fraud, where the criminal will take advantage of a shared affiliation with the victim — they might both belong to the same religious group, for example — and the trust that comes with it. (Read More)