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in Romance Scams
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Good Morning America
· 2025-02-12
Meta announced new protections against romance scams across Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp, restricting accounts engaging in suspicious behavior such as messaging numerous users with fake profiles, impersonating dating agencies, or posing as military members. The move addresses the $1 billion in losses Americans suffered from romance fraud in 2023, with Meta having already removed over 500,000 fraudulent accounts and pages; users will now receive warning popups when potentially suspicious accounts or links are detected in messages.
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CBS Mornings
· 2025-02-11
Relationship investment scams, known as "pig butchering," are sweeping the nation by targeting people seeking romance on dating apps and social media. Sophisticated criminals use fake profiles, AI-generated images, and fabricated romantic connections to persuade victims to invest money in fraudulent business opportunities, resulting in nearly $159 billion in losses in 2023 alone according to one estimate. Federal agencies including the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are partnering with state and nonprofit organizations to warn the public about this growing threat.
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News 3 Las Vegas
· 2025-02-11
Federal agencies launched a "Dating or Defrauding" awareness campaign ahead of Valentine's Day to warn Americans about online romance scams involving fake dating profiles, fraudulent apps, and unsolicited text messages. Scammers build romantic relationships with victims and then convince them to invest money or trade cryptocurrency, claiming they can generate significant returns. The multi-agency initiative advises Americans never to send money or invest with people known only online.
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KVUE
· 2025-02-10
In 2023, Texas ranked third in the nation for romance scams, with victims losing a combined $54 million, contributing to over $1 billion in total U.S. losses to these schemes according to the Federal Trade Commission. Scammers are increasingly using AI-generated images and videos to target victims based on their interests, including creating fake profiles resembling deceased partners to target widows. The FTC recommends verifying identities through reverse image searches and video chats, avoiding sending money to online acquaintances, and remaining cautious of individuals claiming military status, living abroad, or expressing rapid romantic commitment.
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KVUE
· 2025-02-10
The U.S. Postal Service issued a warning ahead of Valentine's Day about romance scams, which target people seeking companionship by building trust online before requesting money or valuables be sent through the mail. Scammers create fake identities and fabricate urgent financial needs to pressure victims into sending cash, checks, wire transfers, or gift cards. The USPS recommends being cautious of quickly escalating online relationships, avoiding sharing personal information, and immediately reporting suspected scams.
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WFMY News 2
· 2025-02-08
Romance scams cost victims over one billion dollars last year according to the FTC, with scammers typically requesting money from online dating prospects around Valentine's Day. The Better Business Bureau notes that victims lose money and experience emotional harm, as scammers are skilled manipulators who build trust before revealing their deceptive intentions. The key to protection is awareness that online romantic interests may not be who they claim to be and vigilance against requests for money from people you have not met in person.
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Eyewitness News ABC7NY
· 2025-02-07
Romance scammers are targeting people seeking relationships online, with the FTC reporting these scams cost Americans $1.3 billion annually. Scammers employ "love bombing" tactics, building emotional connections over months or even a year before requesting money, increasingly through cryptocurrency to remain untraceable. One Connecticut woman lost nearly $1 million to this type of fraud.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2025-02-06
Romance scams are prevalent and increasingly sophisticated, with the Better Business Bureau reporting a median loss of $6,000 per victim. Scammers create fake profiles on dating sites and social media to build trust over weeks or months before requesting money or pushing cryptocurrency investment schemes, and they now use AI to generate realistic photos and communicate with multiple victims simultaneously. To protect yourself, verify profile photos using reverse image search, trust your instincts if something seems too good to be true, independently research any investment opportunities, and avoid clicking links or sharing financial information provided by potential romantic contacts.
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Texomashomepage.com - KFDX, KJTL
· 2025-02-06
Romance scams surge around Valentine's Day, with scammers using sophisticated tactics like the "wrong number" text approach to build trust with lonely people over days or weeks before requesting money or gift cards. Victims have lost tens of thousands of dollars falling for these schemes, which often involve stolen photos of attractive people found on social media or modeling websites. Red flags include requests for money, inconsistent details, and photos that reverse-image search reveals are used elsewhere online; users can verify identities through reverse image search tools and avoid using the same profile photos across multiple platforms.
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WKRN News 2
· 2025-02-06
Romance scams rank among the top 10 most perpetrated scams in the U.S., with individual losses increasing dramatically from $1,600 in 2021 to nearly $4,000 in recent years. Scammers create false profiles on dating apps to build emotional connections and exploit victims financially. Red flags include attempts to move communication off the app to unmonitored platforms, which allows scammers greater freedom to manipulate targets.
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FOX5 Las Vegas
· 2025-02-06
An 82-year-old woman in Boulder City lost $40,000 in a romance scam after being contacted on Facebook involving a scheme to ship gold. Metro Police are hosting scam prevention events to educate the public about recognizing red flags in romance scams and what to do if victimized.
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KPRC 2 Click2Houston
· 2025-02-05
Scammers exploit Valentine's Day shopping—when consumers are expected to spend a record $27.5 billion—through various fraudulent schemes, with fake jewelry websites being a primary concern. These fraudulent sites imitate legitimate jewelry retailers by copying logos and promotional materials while using nearly identical web addresses (differing by just one letter) to trick consumers into purchasing jewelry they never receive. Consumers are advised to carefully verify website addresses and watch for common Valentine's Day scams that exploit the holiday shopping season.
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WPRI
· 2025-02-05
Romance scammers create fake online profiles to build trust with people seeking love on dating apps, then request money while promising long-term relationships. Victims have lost tens of thousands of dollars through these scams, which often involve requests for gift cards or money transfers via PayPal or Venmo. Banks advise never sending money to people you haven't met in person and never sharing personal banking information.
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KCRG-TV9: Your Trusted Local News Source
· 2025-02-05
Romance scams, also known as catfishing, occur when scammers use dating websites to build false relationships and extract money or credit card information from victims. The Better Business Bureau warns that these scams escalate around Valentine's Day and can result in significant financial losses, sometimes requiring legal intervention such as conservatorships to protect victims' assets. Red flags include unsolicited contact and requests for money or personal financial information.
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WHNT News 19
· 2025-02-04
The Huntsville Police Department warned of a dating app scam where criminals pose as government investigators and claim victims face arrest warrants, then pressure them to pay money to avoid prosecution. Police documented two cases of this scam and advise potential victims to hang up, independently verify any claims by calling local police directly, and never pay money to resolve alleged warrants.
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CBS Philadelphia
· 2025-02-03
A Pennsylvania widow lost her life savings, home, and possessions to a romance scam after being targeted on Facebook by someone posing as "Tony," a surgeon who built an emotional relationship with her over months of daily communication. The scammer exploited her vulnerability as a widow by showering her with attention and affection before manipulating her into sending money, ultimately leaving her financially devastated and emotionally heartbroken. The case highlights how romance scams use deep emotional manipulation to target victims, who often remain silent due to embarrassment, and warns that thousands of people—particularly older adults—are affected by this type of fraud annually.
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Local 3 News
· 2025-01-31
The Better Business Bureau warns of a surge in romance scams targeting dating app users ahead of Valentine's Day, particularly those in their 50s and 60s. Scammers use fake photos to catfish victims and eventually solicit money or personal information after establishing a false romantic connection. The BBB recommends researching potential dates, asking specific questions, and remaining skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.
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CTV News
· 2025-01-28
A serial romance scammer operating across Ontario under multiple aliases (including "Johnny Meers") defrauded at least three women of significant sums—Nicki McFee lost $30,000 in a fake business investment, Amy Todd lost $60,000 for a nonexistent horse business, and another victim lost money from a motorcycle sale—before being identified as 39-year-old John Moulder. The scammer used charm and fake investment opportunities to gain victims' trust after meeting them through online dating services, with red flags only appearing once victims stopped providing money.
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We Are Iowa Local 5 News
· 2025-01-27
**Summary:**
Romance scams, where criminals pose as potential romantic partners online, are currently running rampant according to the Federal Trade Commission and affect people of all ages. AARP's Fraud Watch Network volunteer Neil Schultz advises people to be cautious of suspicious dating app profiles—such as photos that appear too polished, requests to move conversations off the platform, or requests for money—as scammers use these tactics to build trust and defraud victims of significant sums.
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FOX 7 Austin
· 2025-01-27
According to a 2024 Better Business Bureau report, Texans lost over $10 million to scams, with the top five being: cryptocurrency investment scams (averaging $4,600 loss, primarily affecting ages 55-64), employment scams ($1.6 million total loss to ages 25-34), online purchase scams ($1.5 million in losses), phishing scams ($550,000 in losses), and additional unreported scams on social media. The report highlights that different age groups face different fraud risks, with older adults targeted for investment schemes while younger adults are more vulnerable to employment-related fraud.
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12 News
· 2025-01-20
During national tragedies like natural disasters, scammers exploit public sympathy through fake charity scams and relief fund fraud. To protect yourself, verify charities directly through their official websites or CharityNavigator.org rather than clicking links in unsolicited calls, emails, or social media messages, and never donate through unverified channels.
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Sherri
· 2025-01-17
A French woman was defrauded of $800,000 by scammers who used AI-generated images to impersonate actor Brad Pitt and create a romantic relationship with her through catfishing. After building trust over an extended period, the scammers claimed "Brad Pitt" needed money for surgery, prompting the victim to send the substantial sum.
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NBC10 Philadelphia
· 2025-01-17
A victim lost over $137,000 in life savings after receiving an email falsely claiming her social security number was used for drug trafficking, demonstrating how sophisticated social engineering scams exploit fear and panic rather than relying solely on cyber tactics. According to the FTC, Americans lost $10 billion to scams in 2023—the highest amount ever recorded—with scammers increasingly using organized crime networks, technology, and social manipulation to target victims through emails, texts, and social media.
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Firstpost
· 2025-01-15
A 53-year-old French woman lost over $1 million to a romance scam between February 2023 and an unspecified later date, after being approached online by someone impersonating Brad Pitt using AI-generated videos and romantic messages. The victim, going through a divorce, believed she was in a long-distance relationship with the actor and was gradually manipulated into sending money, with the scammer using excuses about Pitt being busy to avoid video calls. This case illustrates how romance scams combined with AI technology and celebrity impersonation can exploit vulnerable individuals seeking emotional connection.
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Irish Independent
· 2025-01-14
Romance scams (also called "pig butchering") are surging in Ireland, primarily targeting middle-aged women through dating apps where scammers build emotional relationships over time before requesting money for bills, fees, and expenses. Detective Superintendent Michael Crry of Ireland's National Economic Crime Bureau explains that these online fraud schemes rely on social engineering, manipulation, and exploitation, with recent arrests highlighting law enforcement efforts to combat the crime, which is particularly prevalent during vulnerable winter months when people seek connection.
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WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
· 2025-01-09
New York State enacted legislation requiring dating apps to notify users when they interact with fake or scam accounts, following reports that approximately 7,000 Americans fell victim to romance scams in 2022. The law addresses concerns about the prevalence of fraudulent profiles on platforms like Tinder, with some users reporting that roughly one in five profiles may be fake or bot accounts designed to deceive online daters.
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KREM 2 News
· 2025-01-07
Online romance scams cost Americans over $1 billion annually, with scammers posing as potential romantic partners on dating apps to defraud victims of their savings. A 66-year-old woman lost over $2 million of her retirement savings after connecting with a scammer on Match.com who used stolen photos, posed as a British private equity investor named Santos, and manipulated her with romantic gestures before requesting money for fabricated emergencies such as a professional license renewal.
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Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5)
· 2025-01-07
Robert Giuliano, a multi-state romance scammer wanted out of New York for forgery, grand larceny, and identity theft, was arrested in Scottsdale but released on parole supervision by a Bronx Supreme Court Judge after extradition to New York. His victims expressed disappointment at his release, feeling "victimized twice," though legal experts note that judges often release defendants facing nonviolent crimes without substantial criminal histories pending trial.
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PBS NewsHour
· 2025-01-04
Pig-butchering investment scams have cost victims worldwide an estimated $75 billion over the past four years, with Americans alone losing $4.6 billion in 2023, through fake romantic relationships that manipulate targets into investing in cryptocurrency on fraudulent platforms. The scams typically begin with a wrong-number text leading to conversation with a fake attractive persona who builds trust over 90 days before pressuring victims to invest increasingly large sums until they lose their life savings. Beyond the financial victims, the scammers themselves are often human trafficking victims forced by Asian organized crime syndicates (primarily Chinese, but including Yakuza and Korean groups) operating from compound cities built specifically to run these
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wgaltv
· 2025-01-04
Romance scams ranked as the third most prevalent scam of 2024, with victims in the local area losing tens of thousands of dollars each. Scammers research victims on social media, then contact them pretending to be romantic interests—particularly targeting widows and widowers—and gradually manipulate them into investing money in cryptocurrency or sending funds for fabricated emergencies. The article advises talking to recently bereaved individuals about this scam and monitoring their online interactions to prevent victimization.
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NBC 7 San Diego
· 2024-12-26
A 67-year-old Vista woman lost her entire life savings over nearly two years in a romance scam where an imposter claimed to be actor Keanu Reeves. The scammer convinced her to send money through various requests, ultimately leaving her homeless and living in her car. She decided to publicly share her story to warn others about the dangers and prevalence of romance scams targeting vulnerable individuals.
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Hawaii News Now
· 2024-12-26
Honolulu police warn that romance scams are increasingly targeting elderly seniors, particularly during the holiday season when isolation increases vulnerability. Scammers create fake dating or social media profiles to build emotional connections with seniors, eventually claiming to be in love while requesting money. The scheme became especially prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic when seniors were homebound and lonely.
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KHON2 News
· 2024-12-18
The Better Business Bureau identified 12 common holiday scams, with misleading social media ads and imposter websites being the most prevalent. The list includes phishing emails, fake charities, puppy scams, unsafe holiday apps, and counterfeit product sales. To protect themselves, consumers should avoid interacting with unsolicited messages, only shop from trusted businesses, verify website authenticity, report scams to the BBB and financial institutions, and contact local law enforcement if money is lost.
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wgaltv
· 2024-12-18
Nigeria's anti-fraud agency arrested nearly 800 people, including 148 Chinese and 40 Filipino nationals, in a raid on a Lagos office building as part of a large-scale romance scam operation. The suspects used social media and messaging platforms to contact and deceive victims in North America and Europe, building romantic relationships before offering fraudulent investment opportunities. Investigators seized over 400 SIM cards, mobile phones, and dozens of computers, and are investigating potential connections to organized international fraud networks.
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News 5 Cleveland
· 2024-12-18
Monica Roose lost $4,000 to an online contractor scam while seeking help with a home improvement project in Northeast Ohio. FBI Special Agent Edgar Kobe reports that elder populations are especially vulnerable to scams perpetrated by organized crime groups operating from West Africa and India, and he is working to prevent victims from losing money to these international fraudsters who operate remotely.
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TV360 Nigeria
· 2024-12-17
In a major enforcement operation in Lagos, Nigeria, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrested 792 suspects involved in cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams, including 148 Chinese nationals and citizens from the Philippines, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Indonesia. The foreign perpetrators operated from a facility disguised as a corporate office, where they trained Nigerian accomplices using scripts to conduct romance and investment fraud schemes while using the Nigerians' identities to carry out the crimes.
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KTVB
· 2024-12-16
"Don't Click December" is an awareness campaign aimed at protecting consumers from online fraud during the holiday shopping season, when scammers exploit increased internet usage for gift purchases and charitable donations. U.S. Attorney Josh Hert advises consumers to be cautious of suspicious emails, text messages, and popups that use fear tactics to trick people into clicking malicious links or providing personal information.
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TVC News Nigeria
· 2024-12-15
The Anti-Corruption Unit of Zone Two Command in Lagos arrested two suspects engaged in romance scams and certificate fraud who impersonated foreign military officers on Facebook and Instagram to target vulnerable women. One suspect admitted to undergoing three years of training in romance scam techniques, while the other specialized in forging certificates using his phone; the pair offered police $42,000 in bribes and operated between Ghana and Nigeria.
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Inside Edition
· 2024-12-11
A Miami doctor's photos were stolen and used in a "pig butchering" romance scam to fraudulently lure wealthy single men on dating sites, resulting in victims losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The doctor discovered the identity theft when strangers began sending flowers to her workplace and showing up in person, prompting her to publicly warn others on social media about the sophisticated scheme.
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TODAY
· 2024-12-10
During the holiday season, when Americans are expected to spend over $240 billion online, scammers are exploiting increased shopping activity through fraudulent websites and online shopping schemes. Online fraud costs approximately $12 billion annually according to the FBI, with thousands of fake websites appearing during peak shopping periods to steal personal information. Consumers should protect themselves by checking for security padlocks on websites, scrutinizing URLs and website content for typos or errors, and being cautious of deals that seem too good to be true.
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CBS LA
· 2024-12-06
A 77-year-old widow lost over $20,000 to a romance scam after meeting a man in a Facebook Christian group who posed as a wealthy oil rig worker. The scam had devastating family consequences—her daughter lost her relationship with her mother and learned during the investigation that her mother had sold the family home for $130,000 below market value, likely funneling most of those proceeds to the scammer. According to the Federal Trade Commission, romance scams caused over $1 billion in losses last year, affecting not just finances but also family relationships and homes.
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WPLG Local 10
· 2024-12-04
The FBI Miami issued a holiday season warning about the rise of online scams, which increased 22% between 2022 and 2023, with South Florida's online investment fraud losses jumping from $12 million to $300 million. Elderly individuals are particularly targeted for romance fraud, tech support fraud, and impersonation schemes, with AI increasingly used to facilitate scams; charity fraud also peaks during the holidays. The agency advises consumers to be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true, as billions of dollars are lost annually to fraud schemes nationwide.
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WBIR Channel 10
· 2024-11-26
Ghanaian national Wigbert Bandy was sentenced to more than five years in prison after pleading guilty to a $2 million romance scam targeting senior citizens on dating sites and social media. The scam defrauded 11 victims, with one East Tennessee resident losing over $280,000, and Bandy was ordered to repay approximately $2.2 million in restitution.
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WION
· 2024-11-25
Pig-butchering scams, which have stolen over $75 billion globally, are long-term confidence schemes that combine romance scams, investment fraud, and cryptocurrency deception. Scammers initiate contact through unsolicited text messages, pose as old friends or romantic interests to build trust, and then convince victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency platforms controlled by the fraudsters before disappearing with the money. To protect yourself, never share personal information with online-only contacts and avoid sending money or cryptocurrency to anyone you have not met in person.
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FOX43 News
· 2024-11-21
Fox 43's consumer awareness segment examines how much personal information is publicly available online and discusses whether consumers should pay companies to reduce their digital footprint. Cybersecurity experts advise monitoring your own online presence by searching your name and using tools like ChatGPT to identify what information exists about you, noting that significant personal data is sold behind the scenes and impacts daily life.
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WNEM TV5
· 2024-11-15
Catfishing, where scammers impersonate others online, affects approximately 20,000 Americans annually and is becoming easier with AI technology. Red flags include missing or blurry profile pictures, fewer than 100 friends, new profiles with minimal posting history, and requests for money. To protect yourself, keep your profile private, avoid sharing personal details like security questions or banking information, and verify suspicious contacts before engaging further.
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WREG News Channel 3
· 2024-11-13
Three Nigerian men in their 40s were sentenced to federal prison for orchestrating romance and investment scams that targeted victims across America from 2017 to 2021, including a Western Tennessee resident who lost $400,000. The perpetrators used fake identities on social media and dating sites, posing as romantic partners and repeatedly requesting emergency financial assistance from victims. Law enforcement urges scam victims to report incidents to police, as victims of romance scams often face additional risks including identity theft when they unknowingly share personal information with fraudsters.
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CTV News
· 2024-11-12
A Brampton woman lost $230,000 in a Facebook romance scam after being contacted by a man who built a relationship with her over a year, eventually convincing her to send money by claiming he needed funds while working in Texas and expecting a large payment. Romance scams cost Canadians over $52 million in losses last year, with scammers using social media platforms to establish trust before requesting money from victims.
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WIRED
· 2024-11-05
This WIRED article features "Scammer Payback," a YouTube scam-baiting channel, answering audience questions about common fraud tactics and red flags. The content identifies three major warning signs of scams: scammers pressuring victims to make quick decisions (especially involving gift cards or Cash App transfers), requests for remote access to computers or phones, and demands for untraceable payment methods like Bitcoin or wire transfers. The educational piece emphasizes that time pressure is a deliberate tactic scammers use to prevent victims from consulting family members or others who might intervene.
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News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV
· 2024-11-02
Law enforcement is warning the public about a surge in romance scams during the holiday season, when vulnerable individuals—particularly those feeling lonely or grieving—are targeted by scammers. An Arizona man lost over $660,000 to a scammer posing as a single woman on Instagram, though he was able to recover some funds by canceling credit card transactions. Experts note that most romance scam victims are embarrassed to report their losses and that perpetrators are typically based overseas.