How scammers target grieving victims through online games

For galore people, games for illustration Words With Friends are a relaxing measurement to walk nan time. You play a fewer rounds, chat pinch opponents and bask a small intelligence exercise. But scammers person softly turned these casual games into hunting grounds.

They look for players who look friendly, are older, aliases are precocious widowed. Then they commencement a conversation. At first, it feels harmless. A compliment. A friends message. A mobility astir wherever you live.

Weeks later, nan speech often shifts to money. Angela from Lake Mary, MN, precocious wrote to america astir a business that has her full family worried.

"My sister, who mislaid her Doctor hubby of 56 years 1.5 years ago, is communicating pinch a man she met connected an net game, "Words pinch Friends". She is buying him gift cards and giving him nan number truthful he tin rate them. My nephews took her to their section constabulary dept and they told her it's a scam! Dangerous and to STOP. She doesn't judge anyone!!! Is location a measurement to find retired wherever these emails and texts are coming from??? We are very concerned! Hope you person immoderate advice." Angela, Lake Mary, MN

Angela's business is heartbreaking. Sadly, it is besides very common. Authorities see these romance scams. They costs victims billions each year. According to nan Federal Trade Commission, romance scams remain 1 of nan astir costly fraud categories reported by consumers.

NEW FBI WARNING REVEALS PHISHING ATTACKS HITTING PRIVATE CHATS

Scammers are utilizing casual connection games for illustration Words With Friends to target older and grieving players, often turning friends chats into costly gift paper fraud. (Anastasiia Havrysh/Getty Images)

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report

• Get my champion tech tips, urgent information alerts and exclusive deals delivered consecutive to your inbox.
• For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and enactment protected, sojourn CyberGuy.com trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy connected TV daily.

Plus, you'll get instant entree to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free erstwhile you join.

How nan Words With Friends scam usually begins

Scammers often commencement wrong casual apps wherever speech feels natural. Games for illustration Words With Friends let players to chat during matches. That elemental characteristic creates nan cleanable introduction constituent for criminals.

The shape often follows nan aforesaid steps. First, nan scammer originates a friends speech during a game. Next, they inquire to move nan speech to email, matter aliases a messaging app. Then they statesman building affectional trust. Many declare to beryllium widowed, walking for activity aliases moving overseas.

Eventually, a situation appears. They declare they request thief paying a bill, fixing a problem aliases buying supplies. Finally, they inquire for money done gift cards. Once nan gift paper numbers are sent, nan money is usually gone.

Why gift cards are a awesome informing sign

Gift cards are 1 of nan biggest reddish flags successful scams. Criminals for illustration them because they are accelerated and difficult to trace. Once personification shares nan numbers connected nan backmost of nan card, nan scammer tin redeem nan equilibrium immediately.

There is almost nary measurement to retrieve nan money aft that. Legitimate group do not inquire strangers aliases online acquaintances for gift cards. If personification you met online asks for them, dainty it arsenic a superior informing sign.

Can you find wherever nan emails aliases texts are coming from?

Angela asked whether it is imaginable to trace nan messages. Sometimes it is. Often it is difficult. Scammers activity difficult to hide their personality and location.

They often use:

• VoIP numbers specified arsenic Google Voice
• Email accounts created specifically for scams
• VPN services that hide their existent location

Because of this, a connection whitethorn look to travel from nan United States moreover if nan scammer is overseas. Still, location are a fewer steps that tin sometimes uncover clues.

Check nan afloat email headers for clues

If nan connection is happening by email, nan afloat email header whitethorn uncover nan way nan connection traveled. Headers sometimes incorporate nan originating IP address. That reside whitethorn show nan state wherever nan email began its journey.

Free devices specified arsenic Google's Messageheader analyzer, MXToolbox and Microsoft's Message Header Analyzer tin break down email headers and show nan way a connection traveled crossed message servers. 

While this accusation will not usually uncover nan scammer's existent identity, it tin sometimes bespeak nan web aliases state wherever nan email originated. 

APPLE PAY TEXT SCAM ALMOST COST HER $15,000

Romance scammers are moving from making love apps to online games, wherever casual speech tin quickly move into requests for gift cards and money. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Reverse hunt nan photos

Romance scammers almost ever bargain photos from existent people. Those photos often travel from societal media profiles aliases master websites. You tin upload nan images to reverse hunt devices specified arsenic Google Images.

If nan aforesaid photograph appears nether aggregate names aliases accounts, that is beardown grounds of a scam. Showing that impervious sometimes helps victims reconsider what is happening.

Search nan telephone number aliases username

Another elemental measurement is searching for nan interaction accusation online. Enter nan telephone number, email reside aliases username on pinch words for illustration scam aliases romance scam.

Many scammers reuse nan aforesaid personality crossed aggregate victims. In immoderate cases, different group person already reported nan aforesaid sanction aliases number. Finding those reports tin thief uncover nan pattern.

Report nan relationship wrong nan game

If nan speech began connected Words With Friends, nan relationship tin beryllium reported straight done nan game. Companies analyse reports and often region accounts progressive successful fraud.

That action will not ever extremity nan scammer completely. However, it tin forestall them from targeting further players.

The hardest portion of these scams

The affectional relationship tin beryllium stronger than nan evidence. Scammers walk weeks building trust. They study astir nan victim's life, their losses and their fears. Then they coming themselves arsenic personification who understands.

For personification who is grieving aliases lonely, that relationship tin consciousness very real. Experts often urge approaching nan business carefully.

Avoid accusations aliases heated arguments. Instead, attraction connected protecting finances and calmly presenting evidence. 

Family members whitethorn besides thief by monitoring financial activity aliases encouraging a region earlier sending money.

GOOGLE SEARCH LED TO A COSTLY SCAM CALL

Experts pass that scammers often build spot for weeks wrong games and messaging apps earlier inventing a situation and asking victims to nonstop gift cards. (Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

How to enactment safe from Words With Friends and romance scams

Romance scams proceed to grow. A fewer applicable steps tin thief trim nan risk.

1) Be cautious pinch strangers successful online games

Friendly chat wrong games tin easy go manipulation. Be observant erstwhile strangers effort to move nan speech elsewhere.

2) Never nonstop gift cards to personification you met online

Gift cards are 1 of nan astir communal devices utilized successful scams. Treat immoderate petition for them arsenic a informing sign.

3) Reverse hunt floor plan photos

Running a speedy image hunt tin uncover stolen photos utilized by scammers. 

4) Talk to family earlier sending money

A 2nd sentiment tin extremity a scam earlier it becomes expensive. 

5) Report scams to authorities

If you fishy fraud, study it to nan Federal Trade Commission astatine https://reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Reports thief investigators way organized criminal networks.

6) Keep conversations wrong nan crippled platform

Scammers almost ever effort to move nan speech to text, email aliases messaging apps. Staying wrong nan crippled level makes it easier to study suspicious behavior.

7) Monitor in installments and financial accounts

Some scammers yet inquire victims for individual specifications specified arsenic slope accusation aliases recognition documents. Monitoring your in installments reports and financial accounts tin thief observe suspicious activity early. See my tips and champion picks connected Best Identity Theft Protection astatine Cyberguy.com.

8) Reduce really overmuch individual accusation appears online

Scammers often investigation imaginable victims done people-search websites and nationalist records. Limiting nan individual specifications that look online tin make it harder for criminals to target you. Check retired my apical picks for information removal services and get a free scan to find retired if your individual accusation is already retired connected nan web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

9) Watch for abrupt emergencies aliases recreation stories

Romance scammers often declare they are moving overseas, stuck connected an lipid rig aliases deployed successful nan military. These stories are designed to explicate why they cannot meet successful person.  

Kurt's cardinal takeaways

Angela's communicative shows really easy these scams tin begin. They often commencement successful places that consciousness harmless. A elemental connection game. A friends chat. A speech that slow becomes personal. By nan clip money enters nan picture, nan affectional enslaved whitethorn already consciousness strong. That is why families must attraction connected patience and protection. Helping personification measurement backmost from a scam tin return time, but support and grounds tin make a difference.

If a friends force successful a elemental connection crippled started messaging you each day, would you admit nan infinitesimal erstwhile nan speech turns into a scam? Let america cognize by penning to america astatine Cyberguy.com.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report

• Get my champion tech tips, urgent information alerts and exclusive deals delivered consecutive to your inbox.
• For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and enactment protected, sojourn CyberGuy.com trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy connected TV daily.
• Plus, you'll get instant entree to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free erstwhile you join.

Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All authorities reserved.