🔎 Understanding Romance Scams
As Valentine’s Day approaches, recent reports highlight how widespread this problem has become. In the UK, police warnings show romance scams growing sharply and costing victims millions. Scammers post as dream partners or celebrities to build trust before asking for money. According to AARP Research, millions of adults aged 50 or over have encountered online romantic connections that turned into requests for money.
These scams are not limited to any particular age group or background. They can happen to anyone and the loss isn’t always just financial. Scammers often use emotional manipulation with carefully scripted interactions to build attachments that can feel very real.
Brad Pitt does not need your assistance!
🎣 How Romance Scams Work
Romance scams typically follow a familiar pattern:
Targeting - Scammers find victims on dating apps, social media, or even games.
Grooming - They communicate frequently, often intensely, to build trust.
Excuses for Distance - They claim to live far away or have circumstances that prevent meeting in person.
Crisis Appeal - Suddenly there’s an “emergency” - medical bills, travel costs, or investment opportunities - and they need money.
Financial Requests - Small amounts at first, increasing over time, often asking for wire transfers, gift cards, or crypto.
Disappearance - Once the money stops, the contact often evaporates.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has a great article detailing this type of scam. The emotional manipulation, built up over time and trust, makes it hard to see the truth while you’re in it. That’s why many victims find themselves giving more and more, hoping it will solve the crisis or bring them closer to the person they’ve grown to care about. Finally realizing the connection was a con can be devastating.
💔 You Are Not Alone - There is a Path Forward
If you have been caught up in something that feels wrong or is becoming too expensive to be real, please hear this: it’s not your fault and you are not alone. Romance scammers are trained to build emotional trust and use psychological tactics that feel real. They often use stolen photos, fake identities and can even build AI-generated content to overcome language barriers and appear genuine.
💡Immediate Steps You Can Take
Whether you are currently unsure about someone online or feel you may have lost money to a scam:
Stop Communication: If financial requests begin, end contact immediately.
Document Everything: Save messages, bank records, and screenshots- this helps with reporting.
Report the Scam: File at IC3.gov or with law enforcement - even if no money was lost.
Contact Your Financial Institution: Ask about possible reversals or fraud alerts.
Seek Support: It can be difficult to start the conversation, but your friends and family members can help. You can also contact me and we’ll walk through it together.
Even if it feels too late, talking about it and reporting it helps protect others.
I’ve put together a free guide just for women like us:
“Top 10 Online Scams Targeting Women 50+”
It’s quick, clear, and gives you the confidence you need to see through romance and other online scams.
Know someone who’d appreciate this information? Forward this newsletter and help us grow everyone’s digital confidence!
🧠 Avoiding Romance Scams
Romance scammers are skilled at what they do, but they also rely on patterns. No matter your age, background or experience with online relationships, take a moment to learn their tactics, and go online with a healthy amount of skepticism to help defend against scammers.
Here are some common patterns:
Emotional escalation
Requests to take communications off secure platforms
Excuses for never meeting in person
Financial asks that start small and build over time
Pressure to act now
Avoiding video calls or real-time verification of who they are
Protect your Heart
❤️You deserve real connection and real safety.
If this topic hits close to home, reach out, talk to someone you trust or connect with a professional who can help you sort through what’s happening. Scams take advantage of trust, not intelligence, and you are not defined by what happened to you. We’re here to help you stay informed, confidence and protected.
🎆 The Good News
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. - 1 Corinthians 13:6-7
Be safe,
