Beware of people you meet online, particularly if they quickly want to leave the dating website and communicate with you through email or instant messaging. (AARP’s Fraud Resource Center offers more information on avoiding romance scams.)
Never send money or invest based on the advice of someone you have met solely online.
Never disclose anything about your financial status to people you don’t know.
Don’t provide your banking information, Social Security number, copies of IDs (including passport) or other sensitive information to anyone online or on a site that you do not know is legitimate.
Be wary of anyone who claims to have exclusive investment opportunities with guaranteed profits. They’ll also typically urge you to act fast.