Met Someone New Online?

Meeting someone online can be exciting, whether it starts through social media, a dating app, a game, or a messaging platform. However, fraudsters may build trust over time and then use that relationship to ask for money, personal information, or access to your account.

Be cautious if someone you have only met online asks you to send, receive, or move money.

1. How These Scams Work

Relationship and friendship scams often begin with someone appearing friendly, caring, or trustworthy. They may contact you frequently, share convincing stories, and try to build a close relationship quickly.

Once they have gained your trust, they may ask for money, personal information, or help moving funds. Common scenarios include:

• Urgent personal crises: Claiming a sudden medical emergency, customs fee, travel expense, or family problem that requires immediate cash.
• Fake investment opportunities: Introducing “guaranteed” cryptocurrency or trading platforms and encouraging you to deposit funds.
• Gifts or packages held in transit: Claiming they sent you a valuable gift, gold, or package that requires an administrative release fee.
• Money transfer requests: Asking you to receive funds into your myTU account and forward them by bank transfer, card, or cryptocurrency. This may be a money-mule scam.
• Credential harvesting: Asking for your card details, app passcode, account information, or one-time verification codes.

2. Warning Signs to Look Out For

• The relationship becomes intense very quickly: They express strong feelings, make promises, or ask for trust soon after meeting you.
• They avoid verifying their identity: They refuse video calls, repeatedly cancel plans to meet, or provide inconsistent information.
• Too good to be true: They promise unrealistic earnings, guaranteed investment returns, or unexpected money for little or no effort.
• Upfront payment required: They ask you to pay a fee, tax, deposit, insurance, or release charge before you can receive promised money or a gift.
• Pressure and secrecy: They ask you to keep the relationship, payment, or transaction secret from your family, friends, or myTU Support.
• Requests to move money: They ask you to receive money into your account and forward it to another person, account, platform, or cryptocurrency wallet.
• Requests for account access: They ask to use your myTU account, card, or login details on their behalf.

3. How to Protect Yourself

• Never send money to an online contact: Do not send a transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift card to someone you do not know and trust.
• Never move money for others: Do not accept incoming payments with instructions to forward them to another account, person, or platform.
• Keep security credentials strictly private: Never share your full card details, PIN, CVV/CVC, app passcode, or one-time verification codes.
• Never share your account: Do not allow anyone else to log in to your myTU app or link your card to their digital wallet, such as Apple Pay or Google Pay.
• Do not click suspicious links: Avoid opening links or downloading apps or files sent by an online acquaintance, especially remote-access tools such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer.
• Beware of recovery scams: Never pay an upfront fee to someone claiming they can trace or recover money lost to a scam.
• Get an independent opinion: Talk to family, close friends, or myTU Support before making a payment requested by someone online.

4. What to Do If You Suspect a Scam

1. Stop communicating with the person: Do not reply, send money, or follow further instructions.
2. Do not forward, withdraw, or use unexpected funds: If money arrives from an unknown source or at the request of an online contact, leave it untouched and contact myTU Support.
3. Lock your card if you shared card details or believe it may be compromised: Open the myTU app, go to Cards, select the affected card, and tap Lock.
4. Contact myTU Support:
   • Use in-app chat through the myTU app; or
   • Email support@mytu.co.