What is a Romance Scams?
How It Works — Step by Step
- Scammer creates an attractive, often military or professional profile (doctor working abroad, engineer on an oil rig)
- Initiates contact and quickly develops an intense emotional connection — this phase can last weeks or months
- Claims they cannot meet in person due to being overseas for work, military deployment, or family emergency
- After building trust, introduces a financial crisis: medical emergency, stuck at customs, investment opportunity, flight home
- Requests money via wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or cash apps
- Once money is sent, escalates demands until victim cuts off contact or runs out of money
Top Countries (Victims)
Top Platforms Used
⚠️ Warning Signs
- Profile photos look too perfect — often stolen from models or military personnel
- Claims to be working overseas (oil rig, military, UN, doctors without borders)
- Moves communication off dating apps to WhatsApp/Telegram very quickly
- Intense affection very early in the relationship (love bombing)
- Always has excuses for why they can't video call or meet in person
- Story inconsistencies when questioned
- First money request comes with emotional manipulation and urgency
✅ How to Protect Yourself
- Reverse image search all profile photos immediately
- Never send money to someone you haven't met in person
- Video call early — scammers will avoid this or use recordings
- Tell a trusted friend or family member about the relationship
- Be skeptical of anyone who falls in love unusually quickly
- Research the occupation they claim — verify details are realistic
Real Cases from Our Database
Is this a classic “wrong number” love scam? Why open like that? I think this is a scam text opening but my question is why would they choose this line over other better ones?? Is it a cultural differe...
[US] I was targeted in a sextortion scam yesterday and I'm barely holding it together… I (35M) just need to get this off my chest because I can’t even function today. ...
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I'll give some context first. I was celibate for five years, and the one time I tried to put myself back out there, in January 2025, I was sexually assaulted after a night of partying. The ER waved it...
alvaro andres valarezo sandoval arrest in 2013 i became a victim of a man named Alvaro Andres Valarezo Sandoval of Ecuador. over a month ago marks a year since he was sentenced to federal prison for c...
police found over 150+ unidentified children upon a search of his computers. if you have been victimized by this man, he is in federal prison and can’t hurt you. if this man victimized you, he can’t f...
Fell for a Romance Scam So, feeling like the prize idiot, but here goes. Last two weeks I fell pretty hard for a Romance Scam. The lucky part, is, I did \*not\* lose any money from this, just emotiona...
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So it starts off with a dating app, I am scrolling and notice a very attractive Asian woman of around 31 (I am a 29M) and decide to send her a message (this particular app, duoliscious, works by sendi...
SIM card romance scam? Situation: The company I work for rents a large piece of wooded property. We have no mailbox there but there is a small home where the landlord lives. He has been the victim o...
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He signed for two packages that he thought were for us. They are sim cards for textnow/google fi. The name on the package is not his or ours. The ups package has a phone number on it and I called to t...
[US] Possible Romance Scam? So I’m in a situation with a possibly fake lady who has agreed to attend a Vegas trip with me. ...
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So this girl and I suddenly became friends on Facebook. I can’t remember who added who first but I think she added me. She commented on a photo saying I was attractive and we stated talking. This was ...
Then on May 26th she messaged me “hey” and we started talking again. She turned the conversation sexual immediately which made...
📋 Where to Report Romance Scams
- FBI IC3 (ic3.gov)
- FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov)
- Dating platform where contact was made
- Local police if large amount involved