Romance Scam

Romance scams are devastating because the financial loss is paired with emotional betrayal. Victims often feel they lost both a relationship and their savings.

Finding the target: Scammers work dating apps, social media, and online games. They target people who appear lonely — recently divorced, widowed, or describing themselves as isolated. They often impersonate attractive professionals: military officers, oil rig workers, doctors, engineers, or humanitarian aid workers — specifically roles that explain being overseas and unreachable by phone or in person.

The build-up: The scammer is attentive, affectionate, and unavailable — a dangerous combination. They message constantly. They remember details. They say everything the target wants to hear. They 'plan a future' together. Crucially, they never video call (or their camera is 'broken'), and they always have a reason they can't visit.

The first ask: After weeks or months of building intimacy, a crisis emerges. A medical emergency, a business problem, an issue with customs on an expensive gift they tried to send, a family member who needs surgery. They need a small amount of money — framed as a temporary loan — until they can access their own funds.

The escalation: Once the target sends money, the crisis resolves — temporarily. New crises emerge. Each one requires more money. The scammer leverages the emotional investment to extract more. Victims often take out loans, drain retirement accounts, and borrow from family.

The end: The scammer disappears when the money runs out, or when the victim finally confronts the lie. In some cases, victims are targeted again by 'recovery scammers' who promise to get the money back for an upfront fee.