Scammers target widows and divorced women using public data sources

International Women’s Day celebrates empowerment, independence and resilience. But people rarely talk about a difficult reality. Women experiencing major life transitions, especially widows and divorcees, have become prime targets for sophisticated financial scams. In fact, scammers often look for people going through emotional or financial change. That’s exactly what happened to a woman interviewed by ICE after she lost her husband and turned to online dating.

“Someone suggested going online through a dating service… and photos of this guy appeared. He wasn’t George Clooney, he wasn’t anything spectacular, but he looked like my husband.”

Stories like this highlight a disturbing truth. Romance scams don’t succeed because the victims are careless. Instead, scammers carefully identify potential targets and craft messages that sound personal and believable. Increasingly, this targeting starts with data.

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Life transitions create digital signals

When someone loses a spouse or gets divorced, some information often becomes publicly available or commercially available:

• obituaries List surviving spouses, family members, and cities.
• property records Reflects ownership changes.
• court records Can show marital status updates.
• Address changes and household composition shifts log into databases.

Data brokers collect and package this information. They create profiles that may include:

• Age
• property ownership
• Estimated income or home value
• house composition
• Marital status indicators

Although this data is often marketed for advertising purposes, it can also be misused. Scammers do not call victims randomly. They create targeting lists. And “recently widowed” and “newly single homeowner” are categories that can be inferred from publicly and commercially collected data.

How does obituary scraping speed up targeting?

Obituaries are meant to honor our loved ones. But they can also unintentionally reveal personal details:

• full names
• surviving spouse
• Children and other relatives
• city ​​of residence
• Sometimes even her maiden name.

Scammers scrape obituary websites and cross-reference them with people search databases. Within a few days, they can identify surviving spouses, find their addresses, and find their phone numbers. This is often the starting point for:

• Fake investment areaspouse
• Impersonation scam
• romantic approaches
• Fake “financial advisor” support

The scammer’s advantage? They already know what’s going on in your life. This ensures their messages are personal and believable.

Romance-investment hybrids are booming

One of today’s fastest-growing threats is the “hog butchering” scam, a long-term romance scheme that turns into an investment pitch.

Public records and data broker profiles can help criminals identify potential targets by revealing life changes such as widowhood or divorce. (Felix Zahn/Photothek via Getty Images)

Here’s how it works:

• The scammer communicates through social media or messaging apps.
• They build trust over weeks or months.
• They offer “a lucrative investment opportunity.”
• The victim transfers the money to a platform that appears to be legitimate.
• Money disappears.

Widows and divorced women are disproportionately targeted because scammers assume:

• Life insurance proceeds or retirement savings may be available.
• For the first time, the individual manages finances independently.
• Emotional vulnerability can make it easier to form relationships.

These scams can cost victims hundreds of thousands of dollars. Targeting often starts with data broker profiles.

Fake financial advisors and pension hunters

Another growing tactic is for scammers to pose as:

They can refer to accurate details such as:

• The value of your home
• Your approximate age
• Your city or neighborhood
• Your marital status.

Since the information is accurate, the outreach appears legitimate. Some even create fake websites, LinkedIn profiles and credentials to bolster credibility. Women who manage retirement assets alone, especially after their spouse’s death, are often approached with “special” investment opportunities or urgent financial warnings. These predators rely on one thing: access to detailed personal information.

Why does data exposure increase risk?

The more public your information is, the easier it is for scammers to create convincing stories.

Data broker profiles may include:

• home addresses
• phone numbers
• Names of relatives
• Property ownership history
• Estimated income range.

When scammers combine this with an obituary or court filing, they may infer life changes. They don’t need illegal hacking. They just need searchable data. Reducing this exposure significantly reduces the likelihood of becoming a target.

How can you reduce your risk?

International Women’s Day is about empowerment, and financial independence is a critical part of that. Protecting yourself means:

• Be wary of unsolicited investment offers
• Verify credentials independently
• Never transfer money based solely on online relationships
• Limiting how easily your personal information can be found.

One of the most effective proactive steps is to remove your personal data from people search sites and other data brokers.

There are hundreds of these sites, each with their own opt-out process, and most simply re-list your data afterward. But reducing how much of your personal information appears online can make it much harder for scammers to create convincing profiles about you.

WHY JANUARY IS THE BEST TIME TO REMOVE PERSONAL DATA ONLINE

Start by searching for your name on major people search websites and reviewing what information is publicly visible. If you see personal details listed, most sites provide instructions for requesting removal.

While no service can guarantee complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is truly a smart choice. They’re not cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically deleting your personal information from hundreds of websites. This is what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to delete your personal data from the internet.

By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of fraudsters cross-referencing data obtained from breaches with information they can find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Limiting how easily your personal information can be found online can make scammers less likely to target you. (Uchar/Getty Images)

MAKE 2026 YOUR MOST SPECIAL YEAR EVER BY REMOVING BROKER DATA

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Kurt’s important takeaways

International Women’s Day celebrates strength, independence and resilience. But empowerment also means understanding how scammers operate in the real world. Criminals don’t rely on luck. Instead, they rely on data. Obituaries, estate records, and data broker profiles can quietly reveal life changes that make a person appear financially stable but emotionally vulnerable. Fortunately, awareness can change the equation. For example, you can independently verify financial advisors, challenge unsolicited investment offers, and limit how easily people can find your personal information online. As a result, these steps can significantly reduce your risk. After all, protecting your financial future is part of maintaining your independence. This goal is at the heart of International Women’s Day.

Have you ever contacted someone online offering investment advice or a financial opportunity that seemed questionable? Let us know by writing to us. cyberguy.com

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