Sarah's phone buzzed again. Another text from Tom, her match from the Halloween-themed dating app. They'd only connected yesterday, but he'd already sent 100 messages, each glowing with adoration.
"You're my soulmate," the latest read. "I've never felt this way before."
Sarah smiled, flattered yet uneasy. Tom's profile picture showed a handsome man in a phantom mask. "Let's meet," she typed back. "I'd love to see the face behind the mask."
"Tonight at midnight," he replied instantly. "The old cemetery. I'll bring roses—your favorite."
How did he know that? Sarah wondered, her skin prickling.
Hint: Sarah's being love bombed. Never heard of it? Not sure what it is? Read on and learn more about this creepy and horrible con and how to prevent it from happening to you, or others:
Love bombing is a manipulative tactic often used in romance scams and abusive relationships. Here's a detailed look at this phenomenon:
Definition: Love bombing is an attempt to influence a person by lavish demonstrations of attention and affection.
Characteristics:
Excessive compliments and flattery
Constant communication (calls, texts, emails)
Over-the-top romantic gestures
Declarations of love very early in the relationship
Promises of a perfect future together
Psychological impact:
Creates a sense of euphoria in the victim
Boosts the victim's self-esteem initially
Fosters emotional dependency
Can lead to confusion and difficulty in objective decision-making
Stages: a) Idealization: The bomber puts the victim on a pedestal b) Devaluation: Gradual withdrawal of affection c) Discard: Ending the relationship or revealing the scam
In romance scams:
Used to quickly build trust and emotional connection
Creates a sense of indebtedness in the victim
Makes the victim more likely to comply with future requests
Red flags:
Relationship moves extremely fast
Pressure to commit quickly
Bomber seems too good to be true
Isolation from friends and family
Guilt-tripping when affection isn't reciprocated
Long-term effects on victims:
Trust issues in future relationships
Lowered self-esteem after the devaluation phase
Difficulty recognizing healthy relationship patterns
Prevention:
Maintaining boundaries in new relationships
Taking time to know someone before committing
Staying connected with friends and family
Being wary of people who seem too perfect
In legitimate relationships:
Can sometimes occur unintentionally in the early stages of romance
Differentiated from manipulation by consistency and respect for boundaries
Cultural factors:
What constitutes love bombing can vary across cultures
Some cultures may view certain behaviors as romantic rather than manipulative
Love bombing is particularly effective because it exploits the basic human need for love and affection. By overwhelming the victim with positive attention, it creates a powerful emotional bond that can be difficult to break, even when red flags start to appear.
At the cemetery, fog swirled around crumbling tombstones. Tom stood by a fresh grave, clutching black roses.
"I've waited centuries for you," he said, removing his mask to reveal a skeletal face. "Now we'll be together forever."
As ghostly hands erupted from the grave, dragging her down, Sarah realized too late: Tom's love was a bomb, and it had just exploded.
Let's help prevent this from happening:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJHDQD15
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