SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — An Indian American woman in the Bay Area is speaking out after losing $300,000 in a romance scam that was started on a popular dating app. Rajni Goswami, 57, spoke out to warn others about the advanced methods used by online scammers.
Following the dissolution of a 32-year marriage, Goswami tried online dating in hopes of finding companionship. She befriended a man who declared his deep love, exchanging tearful messages that made her assume the legitimacy of their relationship. Despite her precautionary measures, including asking him to send her identification, Goswami was targeted by the scam.
This is one of the increasing cases of romance scams. According to the Federal Trade Commission, since 2023, over 64,000 romance scams have been reported, with people aged 40 to 69 being the most vulnerable. The highest median losses were reported by those aged 70 and above, averaging $9,475.
The economic and psychological cost of these scams is deep. Virginians lost a combined total of nearly $294 million to all scams last year, including $30 million in romance fraud. Older adults are disproportionately victimized, but not all young people are safe; 36.5% of the victims were between 20 and 29 years old.
Experts call for wariness in digital interactions. Heather Heber Percy, chairwoman of the Dating Agency Association, cautions people to stay suspect, be honest with their guts, and interrogate carefully. She also suggests that people take note of contradictions in conversation as well as nonverbal language when communicating remotely.
Goswami’s experience serves as a call for greater vigilance and consciousness when it comes to online dating. By presenting her case, she wants others not to be taken in by similar scams and reminds everyone that it can happen to anyone irrespective of their intention or background.
