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in Romance Scam
english.gujaratsamachar.com
· 2025-12-08
Indian authorities launched a special awareness campaign during Valentine's Week to combat romance scams, where cybercriminals pose as romantic interests to solicit money from victims. A recent case in Ranchi involved a woman who lost ₹7 lakh after meeting a man on a matrimonial site who claimed to need emergency funds before their planned meeting, then disappeared. Authorities urge people to report suspected fraud by calling 1930 or filing complaints at cybercrime.gov.in, emphasizing the need to verify online connections before sending money.
nemasket.theweektoday.com
· 2025-12-08
The Middleboro Senior Center is hosting an educational program on February 20 where Police Elder Affairs Officer Steve Valerio will teach seniors about common scams targeting them, including fake package delivery alerts, online romance schemes, Medicare/government impersonations, and fraudulent tech support calls, with advice on how to avoid scammers. The center is also offering other February activities including a Valentine's Day entertainment event on February 13 and a historical presentation about the Blizzard of 1978 on February 27.
news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
The United States Postal Service warned consumers about romance scams that surge around Valentine's Day, in which fraudsters create fake identities on social media and dating apps to build trust with victims before requesting money, gift cards, or wire transfers under false pretenses. The USPS recommends avoiding online relationships that escalate quickly, refusing to send money to people you haven't met in person, and being alert to requests for secrecy or urgent financial assistance. Victims are encouraged to report incidents to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, local law enforcement, and the Federal Trade Commission.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Service warned of romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day, in which scammers create fake identities online, build trust over weeks or months, then request money through the mail by fabricating urgent financial emergencies. Victims suffer financial and emotional losses as scammers pressure them to send cash, checks, wire transfers, or gift cards that are difficult to recover. USPS advises never sending money to online contacts you haven't met in person, remaining cautious of quickly escalating relationships, and reporting suspected scams to the Postal Inspection Service, local law enforcement, or the Federal Trade Commission.
nbclosangeles.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service warned the public about romance scams, in which fraudsters create fake identities and build trust with victims over weeks or months before requesting money through transfers, checks, gift cards, or wire payments. The agencies recommend avoiding relationships that escalate quickly, refusing requests for money from people you haven't met in person, and reporting suspicious activity to authorities. Victims should report scams to the USPIS, local law enforcement, and the Federal Trade Commission.
waka.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams cost victims over a billion dollars annually, with scammers using tactics like fake "meet-cute" encounters, impersonating military personnel, and requesting money or banking information under the guise of plane tickets or other expenses. To protect yourself, perform reverse image searches on photos, avoid using the same profile photos across platforms, and inform trusted friends and family about online contacts, as anyone—from young people to lonely seniors—can fall victim to these increasingly sophisticated schemes.
whsv.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warns that "sugar daddy" and "sugar mommy" romance scams increase around Valentine's Day, where scammers pose as wealthy individuals offering victims weekly allowances of hundreds or thousands of dollars in exchange for completing "favors" like purchasing gift cards or paying bills. The scammers typically overpay victims using fraudulent checks or peer-to-peer payment services, and when the payment is reversed, victims are left liable for the money they spent. The BBB recommends verifying dates through reverse image searches, asking detailed questions, and never sending money or personal information to people you haven't met in person.
nbcmontana.com
· 2025-12-08
The USPS and U.S. Postal Inspection Service warn consumers about romance scams that increase around Valentine's Day, in which scammers create fake online identities to build trust with victims before fabricating urgent financial needs and requesting money, checks, or gift cards be sent through the mail. To protect themselves, individuals should avoid online relationships that progress quickly, verify inconsistencies in profiles, never send money to people they haven't met in person, and report suspected scams immediately.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Service warns consumers about romance scams that develop over months, in which scammers cultivate trust through social media and dating apps before creating fake financial emergencies to solicit money from victims. Once detected, these scams are difficult to recover from and leave victims with significant financial and emotional losses. Consumers should avoid sending money to people they've never met in person, especially those who avoid video calls or request secrecy, and should report suspected romance scams to the United States Postal Inspection Service.
theadanews.com
· 2025-12-08
Arvest Bank warns consumers about romance scams intensifying ahead of Valentine's Day, in which scammers create fake online identities to build trust and manipulate victims into sending money or providing financial access. According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers reported losing $1.14 billion to romance scams in 2022, with median losses per person of $2,000 and a maximum reported loss of any imposter scam. The bank recommends never sending money to online contacts, verifying profiles through reverse image searches, and reporting suspected scams to dating platforms or banks immediately.
nationthailand.com
· 2025-12-08
The government has issued a Valentine's Day warning about eight common romance scams that increase in February, cautioning the public against clicking suspicious links, downloading questionable apps, and using unreputable online retailers. Romance scammers typically build trust with victims before manipulating them into money transfers, and authorities urge people to report suspected scams to relevant officials.
2news.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams surge around Valentine's Day, targeting lonely individuals seeking companionship through fake online identities and stolen photos. Scammers cultivate trust over weeks or months before fabricating urgent financial needs to extract money or valuables from victims. The USPS and U.S. Postal Inspection Service advise caution with rapidly escalating online relationships, verification of inconsistencies in profiles, avoiding financial disclosures to unmet contacts, and immediate reporting of suspected scams.
nationwidemediacentre.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Nationwide research found that 41% of singles seek love online, with 36% admitting to white lies on dating profiles, while only 11% feel confident spotting romance scams where criminals use fake identities to extract money. The research reveals that 27% of online daters have been contacted by imposters and 46% would ignore red flags, with scammers particularly exploiting vulnerable individuals around Valentine's Day when 24% feel pressured to have a date and 29% report loneliness. Nationwide advises caution against suspicious profiles, "love bombing," unverified photos, requests for money, and recommends reporting suspicious activity to protect against romance fraud.
nwaonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Arvest Bank issued a warning to customers about increased romance scam activity around Valentine's Day, when criminals target victims by exploiting romantic feelings to steal money. Romance scams are a particular threat during this holiday period as fraudsters seek to manipulate individuals into financial transfers.
wmtv15news.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warns consumers about several Valentine's Day scams targeting the $26 billion expected spending for the holiday, including fake websites offering unrealistically low prices on jewelry and goods, romance scams where fraudsters build emotional connections before requesting money, wrong-number text scams designed to extract personal information, and fake florist websites that either never deliver flowers or make unauthorized charges. To protect themselves, consumers should watch for red flags such as suspiciously low prices, requests for cryptocurrency or cash transfers, pressure to meet quickly in romance situations, and unverified sellers, and should verify websites are legitimate and use secure payment methods.
theedgemalaysia.com
· 2025-12-08
A cybercriminal group earned US$46 million from deepfake romance scams targeting men across Asia, including cases like an 80-year-old Malaysian widow losing RM30,000 to an AI-generated video mimicking a Chinese celebrity. In 2024, Malaysians lost US$12.8 billion to scams overall, with deepfake technology making it increasingly difficult to distinguish genuine online dating profiles despite facial verification features. The article advises victims to avoid unverified investment advice from online contacts, refrain from sharing personal information early in conversations, and limit location sharing to protect against emotional manipulation and physical safety threats.
kktv.com
· 2025-12-08
The United States Postal Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service warned the public about romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day, which typically begin online and escalate to requests for money or valuables sent through the mail. One Colorado victim lost $500,000 to a romance scammer posing as an investment partner in a cryptocurrency scheme. The agencies recommend being cautious of relationships that escalate quickly, avoiding video calls, never sending money to people you haven't met in person, and reporting suspected scams immediately.
ice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams are confidence schemes where perpetrators build trust with victims to extract money through false pretenses. Nearly 70,000 Americans reported being victims in 2022, with older adults losing approximately $240 million that year; scammers commonly use red flags such as claims of foreign locations, requests for video call avoidance, inconsistent stories, and demands for payment via cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers. Protection strategies include remaining suspicious of unsolicited contact, verifying identities through independent means, and never sharing personal information or sending money to online contacts, particularly those who quickly profess love or request alternative communication platforms.
kauainownews.com
· 2025-12-08
The County of Kauaʻi Agency on Elderly Affairs, in partnership with multiple state agencies through Kupuna Alert Partners, is hosting a free fraud and scam prevention presentation to address a rising tide of scams targeting seniors, particularly romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day. Romance scams involve criminals creating fake online identities to build trust with victims over weeks or months before soliciting money through fabricated emergencies, often requesting payment via mail, wire transfers, or gift cards. The presentation will cover Medicare fraud, securities fraud, identity theft, and prescription drug misuse prevention, with the U.S. Postal Service emphasizing caution against online relationships that escalate quickly and recommending victims never
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams targeting older Americans have surged, with fraudsters impersonating celebrities like Keanu Reeves, Jason Momoa, and Sandra Bullock to build fake emotional relationships and extract money. The scams exploit loneliness among seniors, with victims losing an average of $35,000 each, as demonstrated by a recent case where someone lost over $800,000 in a Brad Pitt impersonation scam. Charlie, a banking service for Americans 62+, released this data to educate seniors on red flags including rapid professions of love, avoidance of in-person meetings, fabricated emergencies, and requests for secrecy.
businesswire.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams targeting older Americans have surged, with fraudsters impersonating celebrities like Keanu Reeves, Jason Momoa, Sandra Bullock, and Ryan Reynolds to build fake emotional relationships and extract money. Charlie, a banking service for seniors, released this data to raise awareness that scammers exploit lonely older adults through online dating sites and social media, fabricating crises to pressure victims into sending money—with one victim losing over $800,000 in a Brad Pitt impersonation scam. Seniors can protect themselves by recognizing warning signs including rapid professions of love, avoidance of in-person meetings, fabricated emergencies, and requests for
recordnet.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers intensify their tactics around Valentine's Day, using social media research and emotional manipulation to build trust with victims before requesting money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. Scammers employ various schemes including fabricated emergencies (medical bills, travel costs, equipment damage) and increasingly sophisticated methods like Bitcoin transactions, while also resorting to blackmail and threats. Experts advise vigilance across all communication channels and recommend contacting local law enforcement if victimized, noting that while elderly individuals were traditionally targeted, younger people are now also vulnerable to these evolving scams.
cullmantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service warns about romance scams, which exploit people seeking companionship by building trust online before requesting money through mail, wire transfers, or gift cards. The article outlines how scammers create fake identities and fabricate emergencies to solicit funds, and provides protective measures including avoiding rapid online relationships, verifying identities through in-person meetings, and never sending money to strangers. Victims are advised to report scams to USPIS, local law enforcement, and the Federal Trade Commission.
wcnc.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams have surged significantly, with BBB reporting a 13% increase in 2021 and more than double the cases in early 2022 compared to the prior year. Scammers create fake dating profiles using stolen photos and fabricate elaborate backstories (often claiming military or overseas work) to build fake relationships, eventually requesting money with increasingly persistent demands. The BBB advises potential dating app users to watch for red flags such as reluctance to meet in person, rapid declarations of love, requests to move off dating platforms, suspicious language patterns, and hard luck stories before money requests are made.
spdblotter.seattle.gov
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams cost victims over $1 billion in 2023 and $800 million in 2024, with scammers using fake personas and social media information to build trust before requesting money, cryptocurrency, or personal information. Older Americans are particularly vulnerable, with seniors losing an estimated $28.3 billion annually to financial exploitation. The FBI recommends verifying online identities, taking relationships slowly, never sending money to online-only contacts, and remaining cautious of requests to move communication offline or claims of overseas emergencies.
cftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
The CFTC and multiple federal, state, and nonprofit organizations launched the "Dating or Defrauding?" awareness campaign to alert Americans to relationship investment scams, which caused nearly $4 billion in reported losses to the FBI in 2023. These scams, also called "pig butchering," use fake profiles on dating apps, social media, and messaging platforms to build false relationships and convince victims to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency or trading platforms. The campaign identifies red flags including requests for payment, inability to meet in person, and pressure to move conversations to encrypted apps, urging the public to be skeptical and share warnings with friends and family.
fox26houston.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with cybersecurity experts warning of a rise in AI-deepfake-assisted schemes, particularly around Valentine's Day; McAfee blocked over 321,000 malicious romance-related URLs between December 2024 and January 2025, and one victim in France lost $850,000 to a scammer using deepfake images of Brad Pitt who posed as the actor over 18 months. Texas ranks third nationally for romance scam losses at over $114 million from 2022-2023, and experts advise being cautious of suspicious online profiles, overly quick declarations of love, requests for money, and fake Valentine's shopping ads with
fox26houston.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Service warns that romance scammers target individuals seeking companionship by creating fake online identities and building trust over weeks or months before requesting money for fabricated emergencies like medical bills or travel expenses. The article provides red flags (such as avoiding video calls, pledging love quickly, and requesting urgent financial help), protective measures (verifying identities through video or reverse image searches, never sending money to strangers), and common scammer tactics to help people avoid losing money through wire transfers, checks, or gift cards that are difficult to recover.
click2houston.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI Houston issued a Valentine's Day safety guide warning about romance scams, in which fraudsters quickly build fake online relationships and eventually request money by claiming emergencies or business expenses abroad. The guide advises potential victims to be cautious about what they share online, verify profiles through reverse image searches, watch for excuses to avoid in-person meetings, and never send money to people they've only met online. Victims are encouraged to cease contact with scammers and report incidents to the FBI immediately.
newsweek.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warned of rising romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day, with victims losing $1.14 billion in 2023 according to the FTC. Scammers create fake profiles on dating apps and social media, build trust quickly, and manipulate victims—sometimes impersonating celebrities or military personnel—to send money or invest in cryptocurrency, with one victim losing $850,000 to a scammer posing as Brad Pitt. Red flags include requests for money, reluctance to meet in person or video chat, and inconsistent stories; prevention through identity verification and caution about rapidly escalating relationships is the best defense.
news24.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams and cyber threats targeting couples are increasing around Valentine's Day, with 43% of people in committed relationships feeling pressured to share logins and passcodes. The article details cautionary tales like Nkateko Dladla's experience with investment fraud via a dating app, highlighting how scammers use "love-bombing" and social engineering to exploit trust and manipulate victims into financial schemes. Experts recommend couples maintain individual accounts and passwords, avoid sharing sensitive information, use password managers, and prioritize open communication about online safety to protect themselves from these threats.
wktv.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Service warns consumers about romance scams that intensify around Valentine's Day, in which fraudsters create fake online identities to build trust with victims over weeks or months before fabricating financial emergencies and requesting money, gift cards, or checks sent through the mail. These scams cause both financial and emotional harm, with victims often unable to recover their funds once the fraud is discovered. USPS recommends avoiding rapid online relationships without in-person or video contact, never sending money to people you haven't met, and reporting suspicious behavior immediately.
mynorthwest.com
· 2025-12-08
Seattle Police issued a Valentine's Day warning about romance scams, where perpetrators build fake relationships to trick victims into sending money or personal information. According to the Federal Trade Commission, romance scam victims lost over $1 billion in 2023 and $800 million in 2024, with older Americans particularly vulnerable; the FBI and SPD recommend using reputable dating sites, moving slowly in relationships, never sending money to online contacts, and reporting suspected scams to authorities immediately.
techtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams have become increasingly sophisticated with the use of generative AI and deepfake technology, with scammers using AI-crafted personalized messages and realistic videos to deceive victims. Over $46 million has been stolen across Taiwan, Singapore, and India through these scams, which particularly target vulnerable groups including the elderly, former military members, and those seeking financial connections, often through tactics like fake investment schemes ("pig butchering") that build trust over weeks before requesting money. Recovery of stolen funds is extremely difficult, especially with cryptocurrency, and victims are cautioned to verify identities and never send money to people they haven't met in person who request payment.
columbiatribune.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers are increasing their efforts targeting Missourians around Valentine's Day by posing as military personnel, overseas businesspeople, or professionals on dating apps and social media, then requesting money for emergencies or travel under false pretenses. The Missouri Secretary of State warns that these emotionally and financially devastating scams build trust gradually before exploiting victims, and recommends skepticism of quick declarations of love, avoiding money transfers to unmet contacts, conducting reverse image searches, and reporting suspected scams to authorities.
wtol.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance and confidence scams are rising in Ohio and nationwide, with fraudsters creating fake profiles on dating sites and social media to build trust before requesting money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or valuable items under false pretenses such as medical emergencies or legal fees. Ohioans lost over $15.3 million to these scams in 2023, while nationwide losses exceeded $652 million in romance fraud complaints and $823 million in 2024, with scammers primarily targeting women over 40 who are divorced, widowed, elderly, or disabled. The FBI and Ohio Department of Commerce advise the public to remain vigilant online, avoid sending money to unknown contacts, and verify investment tips through
cbs8.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams using stolen photos are expected to surge around Valentine's Day 2025, with fraudsters building fake relationships to extract money from victims. The FTC reported Americans lost $1.14 billion to romance scams in 2023, with California accounting for $100.6 million in losses across 2,024 victims; scammers now use AI technology to create increasingly convincing deepfakes and video impersonations. Experts recommend using reverse image searches, insisting on video verification, avoiding quick declarations of love, and never sending money to online acquaintances.
dos.ny.gov
· 2025-12-08
**Romance Scams Warning for Valentine's Day**
New York's Department of Consumer Protection warned residents about romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day, noting that New Yorkers lost over $25 million to such scams in 2024, with older adults—particularly widows, widowers, and recent divorcees—being commonly targeted. Scammers use fake online profiles and build trust over weeks or months before requesting money for various pretexts, often starting with small amounts and escalating to larger sums. Effective February 19, 2025, a new state law requires online dating platforms to notify users who have been targeted by banned scammers and to delete user
fox10tv.com
· 2025-12-08
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission launched the "Dating or Defrauding" awareness campaign to warn Americans about relationship investment scams, in which fraudsters use fake dating profiles and text messages to trick victims into converting money to cryptocurrency under the false promise of investment returns. These scams caused reported losses exceeding $4 billion to the FBI in 2023 and target people of all ages, particularly those who live alone or spend significant time on social media. The campaign advises never sending money to people you haven't met in person and recommends reporting suspected fraud through the CFTC or FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
lynchburgva.gov
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams, also called sweetheart scams, involve fraudsters using dating apps, social media, and gaming platforms to build fake emotional connections with victims, then request money, gifts, or personal information under false pretenses. Scammers declare love quickly to establish trust and create urgency, with requests escalating from small favors to larger sums, often citing reasons they cannot meet in person. Key warning signs include premature declarations of love, requests for money or financial help, and solicitation of personal or financial information.
local.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Romance scams represent the highest financial loss among all fraud types, with older adults particularly vulnerable due to isolation, loneliness, and lower tech awareness, according to an AARP presentation by Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth. Red flags include scammers misrepresenting their identity, building trust quickly, requesting money via gift cards or cryptocurrency, and pressuring victims to keep the relationship secret. The best defense is skepticism, thorough research of online romantic interests, taking time before committing emotionally or financially, and reporting suspected scams to local authorities or www.ic3.gov.
publicnewsservice.org
· 2025-12-08
AARP Arizona warns consumers to be vigilant against romance scams, which target vulnerable individuals seeking companionship through social media and dating apps, with scammers requesting money after building false emotional connections. The organization also cautions against fraudulent tax season text messages impersonating the IRS that attempt to steal personal and financial information, recommending people contact the AARP Fraud Watch Network at 877-908-3360 if they suspect fraud.
thefintechtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
According to the Federal Trade Commission, romance scams have caused over $1.14 billion in losses, with victims losing an average of $2,000 each, and criminals are now using AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic identities to make these scams more convincing and personalized. Debbie Fox, a widow seeking companionship, was defrauded of $58,000 by a scammer using a fake identity who posed as a man named Russell and eventually requested money claiming to be in legal trouble. As generative AI becomes mainstream, fraudsters are increasingly exploiting the technology to automate romance scams, phishing attacks, and impersonation schemes, making them harder to
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams are causing the highest financial losses of all fraud types, with older adults particularly vulnerable due to isolation, loneliness, and being targeted by scammers who exploit their assumed wealth and lower tech-savviness. Key red flags include fake identities, rapid declarations of love, requests for money via gift cards or cryptocurrency, and pressure to move off public sites and keep the relationship secret. Victims can protect themselves by developing skepticism, researching potential romantic interests thoroughly, taking time before committing emotionally or financially, and reporting incidents to authorities or contacting the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams are increasingly targeting younger age groups (people in their 20s and 30s), with reported incidents shifting from primarily affecting those aged 50-59 in 2019 to younger demographics by 2023. According to the Federal Trade Commission, romance scams resulted in $469.9 million in losses across all age groups in 2023, more than double the $229.3 million lost in 2019. Scammers typically build emotional connections through dating sites and social media before requesting money or personal information, and victims should be wary of requests for financial help, unusual stories requiring assistance, and fake profiles or AI-generated images.
engadget.com
· 2025-12-08
Meta has removed over 116,000 accounts in 2025 linked to romance scams where fraudsters impersonate celebrities or U.S. military members to build relationships and solicit payments via gift cards and cryptocurrency. The scams, which cost victims over $500 million in 2021 according to the FTC, often originate in West African countries and operate across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, with AI technology making it increasingly easier for scammers to create convincing fake identities and deepfake videos.
wgal.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warns of increased romance scams around Valentine's Day, in which fraudsters build trust with victims through fake personas (sometimes impersonating celebrities) and social media research, then exploit that rapport to solicit money for fake investment opportunities, cryptocurrency schemes, or fabricated emergencies like medical bills or travel costs. The agency advises protecting yourself by limiting personal information shared online, using reputable dating sites, verifying profiles, taking relationships slowly, avoiding pressure to go offline, and never sending money to online-only contacts, particularly those claiming to be overseas.
abc11.com
· 2025-12-08
As Valentine's Day approaches, scammers are exploiting the holiday with malicious tactics: Check Point Software identified over 18,000 Valentine's-themed websites since early 2025, with approximately 1 in 72 being malicious, including phishing emails impersonating legitimate brands to steal money and personal information. North Carolina consumers lost over $16 million to romance scams in 2023 alone, with experts warning to verify sender addresses, avoid suspicious links, and reject requests for money, cryptocurrency, or gift cards from online romantic interests.
about.fb.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers exploit Valentine's Day and other occasions by impersonating military personnel, celebrities, or fake dating agencies across social media and messaging platforms to build trust with victims before soliciting money via wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards. A tech company disrupted multiple romance scam networks operating across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, and other platforms, with schemes originating from Nigeria and Kenya targeting users in the US, UAE, Japan, Africa, and other regions. The company recommends users verify identities, avoid sending money to unknown contacts, and use platform safety tools to protect against these schemes.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Kate Kleinert, a 71-year-old widow, lost $39,000 over four months to a romance scammer posing as a UN surgeon named "Tony" who built trust by involving his supposed children and eventually requesting money for medical emergencies and legal bail. Romance scams cost victims $1.14 billion in 2023 across 64,003 reported cases, with scammers using sophisticated psychological manipulation to build emotional investment before exploiting targets for money, often via cryptocurrency which is difficult to recover.