Romance Scams

INFORMATIONAL REPORT ROMANCE SCAMS Love Shouldn’t Cost You Everything Waratchaya Luangphairin (June) | Jillian Stover | Sneha Lama

TABLE OF CONTENTS I. What Are Romance Scams?

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II. How Romance Scams Usually Start

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III. The Stories Scammers Tell

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a. Common Variants

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b. Case Studies

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IV. Red Flags to Watch For

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V. What to Do If You Think You’re Being Scammed

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VI. Where and How to Report a Romance Scam

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a. Immediate Action Steps

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b. What to Include When Reporting

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VII. Staying Safe When Connecting Online

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VIII. References

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I. What Are Romance Scams and Why Do Smart People Fall for Them?

One of the leading scams today involves building fake trust and affection. These schemes succeed not because victims are careless, but because they feel real. McAfee’s 2026 report found that 1 in 7 American adults say they have lost money to an online dating or romance scam [1].

Today, generative AI has created new ways for scammers to manipulate their victims, making their scams harder to detect. The FTC reports a median loss of $2,000 per victim, accounting for $1.14 billion in 2023 [2]. To stay safe, we must be educated and aware. This report aims to bring attention to romance scams, how they happen, what to look out for, and how to stay safe.

II. How Romance Scams Usually Start Romance scams typically follow a predictable pattern. Based on public guidance from the SANS Technology Institute and reporting from The Guardian, romance scams can be divided into 5 stages [3] [4].

Stage 1 – The Fake Profile: Scammers create fake dating profiles to lure in victims A scammer pretends to be someone they’re not. They initiate contact through social media or online dating platforms, often using an attractive or AI-generated profile picture [19][21]. They avoid video calls and meeting in person using scripted excuses like “broken camera”, “working abroad”, or “serving in the military” [19][20].

Stage 2 – Fast Connection + Feelings: Scammers develop a connection with their victims and work to gain their trust and feelings.

Once contact is made, the scammer aggressively builds an emotional bond through "Love Bombing," showering constant compliments and professing deep affection within just days [19][22]. They often use AI-generated voices or "too perfect" responses to create a level of intimacy that feels far more advanced than a genuine connection [21] [22].

Stage 3 – Platform Shift: Once feelings are established, if initially met on a dating site, scammers will often encourage their victims to move into platforms that facilitate money transfer and avoid detection. To bypass automated security filters and "scam spotting" algorithms, scammers will urgently push their victims to move the conversation to private, unmonitored apps like WhatsApp or Telegram [11]. Victims may lose the protection of builtin safety features and often unknowingly expose sensitive personal details, like their real phone number or email address, to the scammer [24].

Stage 4 – Financial Exploitation: With their preferred medium of communication put in place, a sudden emergency or “investment” will appear, calling you to transfer money/gift card/crypto. They accomplish this using pressure, guilt, or the promise that victims will get their money back.

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Once the victim is emotionally "locked in," the scammer introduces a high-pressure crisis such as a medical emergency or a "guaranteed" investment opportunity to demand immediate funds [22][24]. They utilize artificial urgency and guilt to coerce the victim into sending non-reversible payments via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency [11].

Stage 5 - Ghosting or Blackmail: If victims refuse or ask for proof, scammers commonly disappear or resort to blackmail in the case that they have leverage. Once the actor successfully obtains funds or the victim begins asking too many questions, the scammer will typically "ghost" or vanish entirely to move on to a new target [25]. In more aggressive cases, they pivot to blackmail, threatening to release private photos or sensitive information obtained during the grooming phase unless additional payments are made [22].

Figure 2.1 How Romance Scams Work: The 5-Step Pattern

III. The Stories Scammers Tell Scammers use many fabricated stories to manipulate victims into sending money. They often come up with excuses for why they can’t meet in person. For instance, they will say that they are traveling outside the country or in the military. Another story they will tell is that once they gain your trust, they will say they need money for medical expenses for a relative or themselves. They could also tell you they can help you get invested in cryptocurrency. Another example is that they will tell you a specific way to pay only through their method, and that will make it hard for you to get your money back. [2]

a. Common Variants Classic “emergency” money requests: When scammers build trust before claiming an urgent need (be it themselves or their family member being hospitalized, injured, or in need of immediate funds), and ask if they can “borrow” money, promising to give it back [2].

Pig butchering: Currently the most damaging modern type of romance scam where scammers build trust before introducing “investing together” as a “shared future plan”, in which victims are persuaded to put money into a fake trading app, often showing fake profits to encourage even more investments. It is not until the victim tries to withdraw the money that they face the reality of significant amounts of fees, the account getting blocked, and inevitable financial damages being done 3 [https://dfpi.ca.gov/news/insights/pig-butchering-how-to-spot-and-report-the-scam/].

Extortion after grooming: This is a type of scenario where scammers coerce victims to send intimate photos, then threaten to expose them unless paid.

Money mule: This is a type of relationship used to persuade victims to receive/transfer funds or open accounts, often in the context of “for us”, which can pull victims into money laundering.

b. Case Studies: There are many case studies of people who have been victims of a romance scam. In some cases, the scam consists of one person with just one or a few victims. In others, it is run by organized groups of adversaries working to deceive thousands. Listed are case studies from both individuals and organized groups of romance scammers.

Individuals: Romance scam that lasted 18 years: In another case, a New Zealand woman was arrested for defrauding a man in an 18-year romance scam, beginning in 2006 and spanning to 2024. In this case, the scammer defrauded the man of over half a million dollars. [6] Scammer Posed as Brad Pitt to deceive woman: One case in Brazil led to a woman waiting at the airport for Brad Pitt. The scammer took the identity of Brad Pitt and used that to deceive her. [7] AI Deepfake Romance Scam stole home and life savings: A woman named Abigail, who was an elderly woman, was convinced by an AI deepfake video, messaging, and phone call.

The AI deepfake was of Steve Burton from General Hospital. The woman was scammed out of her condo for $350,000 and her life savings, which totaled $81,000 [23].

Organized Romance Scam Groups: Yahoo Boys: The Yahoo Boys are a group of con artists based mainly in Nigeria. The group uses deepfakes to lure their targets into trusting them to send money. The Yahoo Boys get people to trust them by complimenting or telling the person they love them through the deepfakes. The group convinces the victim that they need the money to travel to the country to visit them [26].

Fake Businessmen Romance Scam (January 21, 2026): Toronto Police caught scammers alleged to use dating apps to con their victims out of $250,000. The main suspect used the fake name “Hronek Radko,” along with stolen photos claiming to be a successful businessman running a company called Ocean Auto. He persuaded victims to loan large sums of money. After receiving the funds, communication stopped. [5] Black Axe (2011-2021): Black Axe is a Nigerian group that has been involved in romance scams before. The scammers in the group would tell people that they needed money for traveling to South Africa for work and for any injuries. The scammer would manipulate the victims into giving them money using personal photos that the victim sent [27].

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IV. Red Flags to Watch For Scammers use many tactics to make someone part of a romance scam, with tactics becoming more sophisticated with the use of AI, according to SBI San Francisco Special Agent Sanjay Virmani. There are many ways to notice if a scammer is making you a part of a romance scam.

[8,9] These are various red flags to watch out for: 1. The person messaging you and then asking you to leave the social platform you met on 2. The scammer tries to separate you from your friends and family, or asks about information that could be used later for blackmail to get money from you.

3. The person you are talking to doesn’t want to or is never able to meet in person or video chat after talking for months.

4. The scammer professes love or devotion after talking for just a few weeks, while still having never met in person.

5. The person you are talking to asks for money.

V. What to Do If You Think You’re Being Scammed There are many ways to prevent the scam from going further if you think you are being scammed. The FTC and AARP have given some action steps to take if you are being scammed.

[2] [10] 1. Stop any form of contact you have had with the person and block that person 2. Talk to a friend or family member you are close with 3. Search on the web to see if there have been previous stories about this scammer 4. Run the profile image through a reverse image software like TinEye to see if it is linked to other details.

5. Report the scam to law enforcement; this can help officials identify criminals or trends.

VI. Where and How to Report a Romance Scam If you send money to the scammer through any type of cashless payment, you should report the activity to your bank and ask for a refund. After that, you need to report it to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You also need to alert the social media platform about the scam. [2] If you suspect you are being scammed, taking immediate action can help protect your accounts and provide law enforcement with the data they need to track the adversary.

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a. Immediate Action Steps 1. Contact your financial institution: If you send money via bank transfer, app, or gift card, notify your bank immediately. The FTC recommends asking for a "reverse transaction," though success depends on the speed of the report and the payment method used [17].

2. Report to the service provider: Use the "Report" or "Flag" button on the dating app or social media platform where you first met the individual.

3. Report the incident to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov: The FTC shares these reports with over 2,000 law enforcement partners to help investigate and bring cases against fraud rings and bad business practices [2].

4. File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov: The IC3 is the central federal hub for reporting cybercrime, allowing the FBI to track criminal trends and, in some cases, freeze stolen funds [16].

b. What to Include When Reporting: The FBI recommends keeping all records of your communication and provides a checklist of what to include in your report [18]: Identifying Information: The scammer’s name (including aliases), usernames, phone numbers, and email addresses.

Platform Details: The name of the dating site or social media app where the contact began.

Financial Transaction Data: The dates, amounts, and specific methods of payment (e.g., gift card PINs, wire transfer receipts, or cryptocurrency wallet addresses).

The "Hook": A brief description of the story or emergency the scammer used to request money.

VII. Staying Safe When Connecting Online It is important to be proactive in safeguarding your heart and wallet. The FBI [8], ICE [11], U.S. Secret Service [12], and the FTC [13] all share similar advice for preventing romance scams.

The steps below summarize their key recommendations to help you stay safe, especially when meeting people through online dating, social media, or messaging apps: Never send money or gift cards to someone you have not met in person The FTC warns that no real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them, and any demand for a gift card is a definitive sign of a scam. [13] Never send or receive money on behalf of someone else or to someone else If you move money in the direction of another person, you may be serving as a "money mule," which can lead to federal charges like money laundering and the closure of your bank accounts. [8]

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Never send personal pictures as they can be used for blackmailing.

The FBI warns that scammers may try to extort private pictures by threatening to make them public if you do not send them money.

Be skeptical of “Wrong Number” tactics. Many romance scams start as a mass-sent “wrong number” text, fishing for anyone who would reply, which they then turn into a conversation.

Even a polite reply like "Sorry, wrong number" tells the scammer your phone number is real and active, which makes you a target for even more frequent scam texts in the future. [14] Understand that video calls and pictures are not enough to prove their real identity.

With generative AI and image generators like nano banana, scammers can manipulate images and make them look very real. [12] Ask detailed questions and pay attention if answers contradict prior information.

You should be wary if someone seems "too perfect" or quickly asks you to leave a dating site to communicate privately, as scammers use these tactics to avoid detection. [8] Only agree to meet up with a love interest in public locations for safety.

You should always meet in a busy, public place to verify if the person matches their profile photo, and you should always let a trusted friend or family member know exactly where you are going. [15]

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References [1] Brooke Seipel. “Online Dating & AI Research: Romance Scams.” McAfee Blog, 2026. https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/internet-security/online-dating-ai-research-romance-scams/ [2] Federal Trade Commission. What To Know About Romance Scams. Consumer Advice, August 2022. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-romance-scams [3] Azhari, Faris. “Initial Stages of Romance Scams [Guest Diary].” SANS Internet Storm Center, January 27, 2026. https://isc.sans.edu/diary/Initial+Stages+of+Romance+Scams+Guest+Diary/32650 [4] Moore, Anna. “‘I Opened Up Like a Giant Elevator’: The Seven Sly, Savage Stages of a £100,000 Romance Scam.” The Guardian, November 11, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/nov/11/seven-sly-savage-stages-of-a-romance-scam [5] Campbell, Janiece. “Toronto Police Charge Two in Alleged $250K Romance Scam Ahead of Valentine’s Day.” Now Toronto, February 13, 2026. https://nowtoronto.com/news/toronto-police-chargetwo-in-alleged-250k-romance-scam-ahead-of-valentines-day/ [6] RNZ Digital Reporters. “Woman Arrested over Alleged 18-Year Romance Scam.” RNZ News, February 11, 2026. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/586542/woman-arrested-over-alleged-18-yearromance-scam [7] Ficher, Alisson. “Video: Brazilian Woman Thinks She’s Dating Brad Pitt and Goes Alone to a Disused Airport to Pick Him Up after Two Months of Conversations and Video Calls.” Click Petróleo e Gás, January 6, 2026. https://en.clickpetroleoegas.com.br/Brazilian-woman-thinks-she%27s-dating-BradPitt-and-goes-alone-to-a-disused-airport-to-pick-him-up-in-Rio-Grande-do-Sul-after-two-months-ofconversations-and-video-calls/ [8] Federal Bureau of Investigation. Romance Scams. FBI, n.d. https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-helpyou/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/romance-scams [9] Schubert, Cindy. “Falling in Love or Falling for a Scam? How to Tell the Difference.” Security National Bank, February 14, 2025. https://www.snbonline.com/about/news/how-to-detect-an-online-romancescam [10] AARP. How to Protect Yourself Against Online Romance Scams. AARP, December 3, 2018. https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/romance/ [11] U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Protect Yourself Against Romance Scams. HSI Insider, February 20, 2026. https://www.ice.gov/hsi/news/hsi-insider/romance-scams-protect-yourself [12] United States Secret Service. Stay Safe Online: Avoid Romance Scams. U.S. Secret Service, n.d. https://www.secretservice.gov/investigations/romancescams [13] Federal Trade Commission. Avoiding and Reporting Gift Card Scams. Consumer Advice, December 9, 2021. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/avoiding-and-reporting-gift-card-scams [14] Better Business Bureau. “BBB Scam Alert: Innocent Wrong Number Text? It Could Be a Scam Bot!” BBB, March 18, 2022. https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/26053-bbb-scam-alert-wrong-number-textmessage-could-be-a-scam-bot [15] National Cybersecurity Alliance. Phisher | Don’t Get Duped! Stay Safe Online, n.d. https://www.staysafeonline.org/campaigns/phisher [16] Federal Bureau of Investigation. Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Home Page. IC3.gov, n.d. https://www.ic3.gov/ [17] Federal Trade Commission. What To Do if You Were Scammed. Consumer Advice, July 2022. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed

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18] Federal Trade Commission. ReportFraud.ftc.gov | Home Page. ReportFraud.ftc.gov, n.d. https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ [19] Saxena, Deepanker. “The Anatomy of a Romance Scam: Understanding How They Work and How to Protect Yourself.” Socure Blog, February 14, 2025. https://www.socure.com/blog/romance-scams [20] Midcoast Federal Credit Union. “How to Recognize a Romance Scam.” Security News, February 3, 2025. https://www.midcoastfcu.me/2025/02/03/how-to-recognize-a-romance-scam/ [21] United States Senate Federal Credit Union. “AI-Powered Romance Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them.” Security Corner, February 5, 2025. https://www.ussfcu.org/media-center/security-corner/blogdetail-security-corner.html?cId=96630&title=ai-powered-romance-scams-how-to-spot-and-avoid-them [22] Unit21. Romance Fraud: Common Types, Indicators, & How to Prevent. Fraud AML Dictionary, n.d. https://www.unit21.ai/fraud-aml-dictionary/romance-fraud [23] CyberGuy. “AI Deepfake Romance Scam Stole Her Home and Life Savings.” https://cyberguy.com/security/ai-deepfake-romance-scam-stole-home-life-savings/ [24] Jan, Tony. “How to Spot an Online Romance Scam Before It Costs You Everything.” ScienceAlert / The Conversation, February 11, 2026. https://www.sciencealert.com/how-to-spot-an-online-romancescam-before-it-costs-you-everything [25] Michigan Schools & Government Credit Union. “Romance Scams: Happily Never After.” MSGCU Blog, February 12, 2025. https://www.msgcu.org/blog/romancescamshappilyneverafter [26] Matt Burgess, “The Real-Time Deepfake Romance Scams Have Arrived.” WIRED, April 18, 2024. https://www.wired.com/story/yahoo-boys-real-time-deepfake-scams/ [27] U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey. “Prominent Leader of ‘Black Axe’ Extradited to United States for Conspiring to Engage in Internet Scams and Money Laundering.” Press Release, December 16, 2024. https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/prominent-leader-black-axe-extradited-united-statesconspiring-engage-internet-scams-and

Threat Advisory created by The Cyber Florida Security Operations Center.

Contributing Security Analysts: Waratchaya Luangphairin (June), Jillian Stover, and Sneha Lama To learn more about Cyber Florida visit: www.cyberflorida.org

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