Confidence and romance scams cost Americans over $652 million while Wyomingites contributed $463,550 to the American total, according to the FBI’s IC3 (Internet Crime’s Complaint Center) 2023 Annual report.

“That number reflects a dollar lost for every adult in the state, thus it is important to energize our communities to talk about scams and involve those that can help like banks, IT and cybersecurity companies, insurance agents, law enforcement, senior centers, and schools in the conversation,” said Laura Baker, Executive Director of CyberWyoming, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to cybersecurity education.

Keeping in line with this community action and just in time for Valentine’s Day, CyberWyoming announced White Hat Rescue LLC of Gillette as its newest Founding Member, joining the mission to protect local businesses and communities. White Hat Rescue’s mission is to safeguard business continuity, protect trade secrets, secure sensitive data, and defend private information against the growing threats of cybercrime, employing ethical hackers and other cybersecurity experts to do so.

“With the rise of digital romance and advanced AI, romance scams are becoming increasingly harder to identify by the human eye. Cyber criminals are using AI to induce emotion and steal from victims at scale. We encourage you to always maintain your awareness, including while online. Verify online identities, be cautious with personal information, and never send money to someone you haven’t met. Our mission is to expose deception and strengthen digital security—because love is genuine; not a gateway for fraud,” said Daniel Knievel, Director of Operations at White Hat Rescue LLC.

Often called “white-hat hackers,” ethical hackers use their expertise to stay ahead of cybercriminals by identifying weaknesses in systems and fortifying them before attackers can exploit them. By strengthening systems rather than exploiting them, ethical hackers, like those at White Hat Rescue, play a key role in defending against digital threats and protecting Wyoming’s communities.

According to AARP, community awareness of how romance scams operate is a key to prevention. Cyberspace is full of scammers eager to take advantage of lonely hearts and more than one third of victims that lost money started a dating profile or met their suitor on social media. Often the potential mate lives far away, seems smitten, and suggests you move your relationship to a private channel like email or a chat app. After corresponding with them for months, an emergency occurs, and they need money fast.

Besides losing money, victims of fraud often have feelings of grief, hurt, and betrayal. The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) is free to any victim of any age offering advice and the AARP ReST program provides emotional support for people impacted by a scam or fraud. Victims can also contact the Wyoming Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division for help and report the scam to local law enforcement and the FBI at ic3.gov.

To combat digital heartbreak this Valentine’s Day, here are some practical tips from the National Cybersecurity Alliance (Staysafeonline.org):

1. Verify Before You Trust: Be cautious of online suitors who seem too good to be true or rush intimacy. If they are always finding excuses not to meet, it is probably a scam.
2. Protect Your Personal Information: Avoid sharing sensitive details that could be exploited. Be cautious of sharing information like your mother’s maiden name or favorite cookie that can be used for security questions on financial accounts.
3. Be Wary of Financial Requests: Romance scammers often spin elaborate tales leading to monetary demands. While you may be emotionally involved, those that truly love you wouldn’t ask for money.
   “This Valentine’s Day let’s celebrate the love we share while staying vigilant against those who wish to exploit us for personal gain. We’re honored to join CyberWyoming in protecting our community’s digital well-being,” said Knievel.

As a Founding Member of CyberWyoming, White Hat Rescue LLC is committed to strengthening Wyoming’s cybersecurity posture. From conducting third party security audits and offering in-depth risk assessments to supporting CyberWyoming programs like Wyoming’s Cybersecurity Competition for Small Businesses, the team’s proactive approach secures the digital landscape for businesses and individuals alike.

“We at White Hat Rescue build high walls to safeguard your data. It is important to know who you’re letting in through the gate,” said Knievel. “We encourage you to be vulnerable with your special someone; however, your IT network should never share that vulnerability,” he continued.

About White Hat Rescue LLC: Based in Gillette, WY, White Hat Rescue serves the Mountain West region with a mission to safeguard business continuity, protect trade secrets, secure sensitive data, and defend private information against the growing threats of cybercrime. White Hat Rescue’s services include 24/7 threat detection and response, network assessments, penetration testing, and regulatory compliance audits, all tailored to meet the unique needs of your industry.
White Hat Rescue understands that traditional cybersecurity methods fall short against today’s sophisticated cyber threats. Thus, White Hat Rescue’s team specializes in proactive, cutting-edge solutions designed to stay ahead of emerging risks and connect with business owners and IT professionals who want to identify vulnerabilities and fortify their defenses.

Visit whitehatrescue.com or email at info@whitehatrescue.com.

About CyberWyoming: Founded in 2017, the nonprofit CyberWyoming promotes the cybersecurity welfare and prosperity of the Wyoming business community including hands-on, high-touch education of small business stakeholders and technical registered apprenticeship. CyberWyoming’s primary business education program is Wyoming’s Cybersecurity Competition for Small Businesses, free to any Wyoming business because of founding members like White Hat Rescue. For more information about CyberWyoming, visit https://cyberwyoming.org/.