Ridgefield Police: Never Send Money to Someone You Meet Online

According to the Ridgefield Police Department, there’s a scam making the rounds that feels straight out of a bad dating show—but unfortunately, it’s very real and people are falling for it.

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Police say they’ve seen multiple cases pop up over the past few weeks involving dating sites and apps. It usually starts the same way: someone creates a fake profile, strikes up a conversation, and slowly builds what feels like a real relationship. The person on the other end often claims to be local or have ties to the area, but says they’re currently away for some reason—military deployment is one of the most common excuses.

Once they gain trust, that’s when things take a turn.

Investigators say these scammers begin asking for favors that quickly escalate. It might start with a small request, but before long they’re asking for money, access to financial accounts, or even help receiving and shipping packages. At that point, the victim is already emotionally invested, which is exactly what the scammer is counting on.

Ridgefield Police are urging people to slow things down and think twice before trusting someone they’ve never met in person. If someone you met online is asking for money or anything involving your finances, that’s a massive red flag—no matter how convincing their story sounds.

A good rule of thumb: never send money, gift cards, or valuables to someone you only know through the internet. And definitely don’t allow anyone access to your bank accounts or personal information.

If something feels even a little off, trust your instincts. Scammers rely on urgency and emotion to get what they want, so taking a step back can make all the difference. And if you think you’ve been targeted, report it to your local police department right away—because the faster these scams are flagged, the better chance there is of stopping them before someone else gets burned.