Online Scams in Beirut

Online Romance and Financial Scam

Lebanon-based scammers operate long-running romance fraud schemes targeting foreigners through dating apps, Instagram, and WhatsApp, cultivating trust over weeks before requesting money for emergencies, medical bills, or travel to meet the victim. The U.S. State Department specifically flags internet romance and financial scams as prevalent in Lebanon. Victims are often asked to transfer funds via Western Union, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency to contacts in Beirut or other Lebanese cities. Some variants involve a fake Lebanese contact asking a prospective visitor to carry cash or packages into the country on their behalf.