Convicted sex offender charged in Ohio State student's death

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Pittston man to serve 7 1/2 years for role in distributing bath salts

<p>Love is in the air &#8212; or is it?</p><p>The only thing worse than those chalky conversation hearts during the Valentine&#8217;s Day season is people willing to con others out of their savings through an online dating scam.</p><p>For those looking for a date on Valentine&#8217;s Day, beware fake profiles on social media and dating sites. It&#8217;s more common than you think.</p><p>Anytime anyone asks you for money via the internet, you should be cautious. But online dating scammers prey on the lonely and vulnerable, hoping to create intimacy and then bilk them out of thousands.</p><p>According to the FBI, the average money lost via an online romance scam is between $15,000 to $20,000. That&#8217;s definitely not chump change.</p><p>It can happen to people of any age, too. A total of 15 percent of Americans use online dating sites or mobile dating apps, according to the Pew Research Center. And most of those people fall into the 18-44 age range, with the most, 27 percent, in the 18-24 age range.</p><p>As the notion of online dating increases in popularity, scammers try harder to get in on the action. Sticking to well-known, nationally branded sites with good reputations will keep your heart (and your wallet) safe.</p><p>The <a href="http://fbi.gov" target="_blank">FBI</a> recommends looking out for these signs of romantic scammers while perusing online dating sites. Be suspicious if:</p><p>&#8226; Your date expresses feelings of love almost instantly.</p><p>&#8226; The photo on your potential love&#8217;s profile looks like it came from a magazine &#8212; there&#8217;s a good chance it did.</p><p>&#8226; The suitor wants to start communicating via personal email/messaging rather than through the dating site where you met.</p><p>&#8226; The object of your affection keeps bailing on you when you make plans to meet, or is frequently out of the country.</p><p>&#8226; He or she begins to ask you for money for harrowing situations: lost/stolen wallet, hospital bills, and other faux emergencies. Scammers will usually ask you to send money through a wire transfer, and there&#8217;s a good chance you will never ever see that money again, if sent.</p><p>Sometimes your gut can be a better judge of character than your heart. If something seems wrong while communicating with an online suitor, don&#8217;t ignore that feeling.</p><p>If you believe you&#8217;ve been the victim of an online dating scam, report it to the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker at <a href="http://go.bbb.org/1Hy6IGd" target="_blank">http://go.bbb.org/1Hy6IGd</a> and/or the FBI at its Internet Crime Complaint Center, <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx" target="_blank">www.ic3.gov</a>.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Consumer Watchdog Sarah Hite Hando </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_Sarah-Hando-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Consumer Watchdog Sarah Hite Hando </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_candy-1678933_960_720-2.jpg">
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Consumer Watchdog</p><p>Sarah Hite Hando</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Sarah Hite Hando is the Times Leader business editor. Reach her at 570-704-3945 or shando@www.timesleader.com.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Consumer Watchdog: Protect your heart and wallet this Valentine’s Day