ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – According to the Better Business Bureau, financial grooming scams are on the rise. This is where scammers build relationships with the victims before going through with their plans.
The BBB says these types of scams are the most devastating for victims. It can take weeks to months for scammers to build trust with their targets.
BBB released a report after surveying in 2024. Cryptocurrency or investment scams were reported as the number one financial grooming scam people are falling victim to. A scammer will encourage you to invest small. As they build trust with you, they’ll encourage you to invest more and more. When you finally realize you’re being scammed, it’ll be too late.
Employment scams came in second place. This targets ages 18 to 34. Most of the time, the scammer is offering a flexible, work-from-home position.
Number three was romance/friendship scams. The fourth riskiest scams were online shopping, which used to be near the top of the list.
BBB says it found 29.6% of people who reported scams also reported suffering from mental health issues due to being scammed.
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