Skip to Main Content
Alvy+, a new digital banking experience is here! Download today!

Town and Country Bank

Main Navigation

  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Pay Loan
    • Make a Mortgage Payment
    • Make a Loan Payment
  • Login
    • Online Banking
    • Home Loan
    • Make a Mortgage Payment
    • Trust & Investment Services
    • Make a Loan Payment
    • Credit Card
  • Menu
  • Home
  • Personal Banking
    • Personal Checking Accounts
    • Personal Savings Accounts
    • Loans
      • Auto Loans
      • Personal Loans
      • Home Equity
      • Land & Lot Loans
      • Bridge Loans
    • Make a Loan Payment
    • Personal Debit and Credit Cards
  • Business Banking
    • Business Lending
    • Business Accounts
    • Treasury Management
    • Business Debit and Credit Cards
    • Alternative Financing Options
    • Meet Our Business Bankers
    • Request a Business Financial Review
  • Home Loans
    • Find the Perfect Home Loan
    • Meet our Mortgage Lenders
    • Mortgage Calculators and Rates
    • Mortgage FAQs
    • Community Mortgage Partners
      • About Us
      • Our Services
      • Our Loan Products
      • Contact
  • Trust & Investments
    • Personal Financial Planning Services
    • Business Financial Planning Services
    • Meet our Trust & Investments Team
  • Customer Support
    • Online & Mobile Banking Services
    • Account Resources
      • Overdraft Protection
      • Reorder Checks
      • Financial Calculators
      • Switch to Us
      • Online Forms
      • Online Security
      • FAQs
    • Additional Services
  • Sprig The Word Blog
  • Our Team
  • About Us
    • Community Support Request
    • About Our Bank
    • Investor Relations
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    • Locations & Hours
    • Careers
      • Careers in Mortgage Lending
      • Commercial Banking Development Program
    • Events Calendar
    • News
      • 2022 Financial Reports
      • 2021 Financial Reports
      • 2020 Financial Reports
    • Contact Us
    • Connect With Us

  • Sprig The Word Blog

Romance Scams to be Attentive to

2/18/2021

SHARE

February is the month for love, which means it’s prime time for criminals to scour dating platforms and social networking sites for people to rob. Last year, criminals stole more than $600 million from mostly women, the elderly, and people who had recently lost their spouse through “romance scams,” according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. It was a record-breaking amount, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Some victims lost everything they had to these charming cons.

“Romance scams are relatively common,” says Andrea Moore, Account Services Manager for Town and Country Bank and Peoples Prosperity Bank. She has had clients who’ve been victims of them in the past. Victims can meet their supposed sweethearts online or through a friend. But “they never meet each other in person. They don’t FaceTime. They often only text and call. When the two are on really good terms, the other person—who is often overseas—asks for money. They say they’re stuck there for some reason without access to money—they’re working but can’t get their paycheck, but they want to come home to you. So, they ask you to send them money so they can buy a plane ticket to finally meet you.”

These fake lovers are great at conning you. They can say they’re working overseas in construction or medicine. They may scour social media for information about you and use it to feign common interests. They use fake photos. They may keep a journal about you. Their endgame is to build a connection and trust so you will send them money.

It’s all about money.

The “boyfriend" or “girlfriend” may ask you to wire him or her funds directly or to put money on a reloadable debit or credit card. This way, “they can get cash quickly, remain anonymous, and the transactions are almost impossible to reverse,” according to the FTC, which has tips on avoiding and dealing with these cons.

They may also ask you to open a checking or savings account for them, giving some reason why they are unable to. What they’re really doing is making you part of their crime, which could be funding drug or human trafficking, according to the FBI.

The bottom line is:

  • Never give your bank account information to someone you met online.
  • Never send money in any form to someone you haven’t met in person.
  • Don’t give out a lot of personal information online.
  • If you feel you might be the victim of a romance scam, tell your banker immediately.

“Be open with us,” says Moore. “We can save you a lot of money and heartache.”

For more information, please visit these helpful resources:

  • FTC - What you need to know about romance scams
  • FBI - Romance scams

Town and Country Bank and Peoples Prosperity Bank is Here to Help!

If you feel like you have fallen victim to any sort of romance scam, please inform us as soon as possible by calling our Customer Service Solution Center at 1 (866) 770-3100.

More Posts

Open an accountOpen account
Find a locationlocations

  • Facebook Logo
  • Twitter Logo
  • LinkedIn Logo
  • Contact Us
  • Locations & Hours
  • Financial Calculators
  • Careers
  • Financial Privacy Disclosure
  • Electronic Documents (Paperless) Disclosure
  • Other Disclosures
  • Financial Privacy Opt Out Form
  • Community Support Request
  • Routing Number: 071123262
  • NMLS# 411614
    Town and Country Bank
  • NMLS# 423128
    Town and Country Banc Mortgage Services, Inc.
  • Go to FDIC website
  • Go to Equal Housing Lender website
  • Go to AARP BankSafe Trained institution website

Copyright © 2022 Town and Country Bank All Rights Reserved. An Illinois State chartered banking organization. | Please note that Investments are not a deposit, not FDIC Insured, not insured by any federal government agency, not guaranteed by the bank and may go down in value.

Privacy Policy

Town and Country Bank is regulated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. For accolades or complaints, please contact us by sending a letter to: Customer Relations Office, 3601 Wabash Ave., Springfield, Illinois 62711. If there is no sensitive customer information, such as social security or account numbers, you can send feedback to the following email address: customerrelations@townandcountrybank.com

You Are Now Leaving

You are now leaving the Town and Country Bank/Peoples Prosperity Bank website. You are about to access a third party web site or service that is not owned or controlled by Town and Country Bank/Peoples Prosperity Bank and therefore, may not be FDIC insured.

While we believe these resources are reliable, Town and Country Bank/Peoples Prosperity Bank is not responsible for and will not guarantee the products, services, information, or content provided by this third party.

Continue Cancel ×