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She thought she had found love. Instead, she lost $90,000 — and a piece of herself.

Rita, a 66-year-old resident of Montana, thought she had formed a connection with a celebrity during one of the most isolating times in her life. Their discussions seemed personal, and their relationship felt genuine. However, months later, the harsh reality hit her: she had fallen victim to a fraudster who exploited her feelings and took not just her money but also her trust. “If I can save just one person from this folly,” Rita said in a recent PSA from the FBI, “then I’ve done my job.”

Rita’s experience is not an isolated case — it reflects a troubling trend that has surged in recent years. With an increasing number of individuals seeking connection through online platforms, romance scammers are exploiting human fragility, frequently resulting in both emotional and financial ruin.
A Perfect Storm: Loneliness, Loss, and Lies

Similar to Rita, Beatrice, a widow in her late 60s, was looking for companionship after her husband’s passing when she encountered a man online amid the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This man asserted that he was a Spanish lumberjack. Remarkably, he bore a striking resemblance to her deceased husband. The bond felt too fortuitous to be mere chance. “It was a perfect storm,” Beatrice said in a video for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), where she shared her story to warn others. “He wasn’t George Clooney, but he reminded me of my husband. And I missed having someone to talk to.”

What Beatrice didn’t know was that her “Spanish lumberjack” was neither Spanish nor a lumberjack — he was part of a larger transnational criminal operation preying on vulnerable people through dating apps and social media.

A Crime on the Rise

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), almost 70,000 Americans reported being victims of romance scams in 2022 alone.

Older adults were particularly hard hit, suffering losses close to $240 million that year. In 2024, the FBI revealed that individuals over 60 lost a staggering $389 million to these scams.

These scams generally follow a predictable yet devastating pattern: they start by building trust, then manipulate emotions, and finally request money under false pretenses — often citing emergencies, travel needs, or fictitious investments. Many scammers prefer using cryptocurrency, gift cards, or money transfers to make the transactions untraceable and irreversible.

In the UK, romance scams are also on the rise. A 2025 Barclays Scams Bulletin indicated a 20% increase in romance scam incidents during the first quarter of the year. Older adults (61+) were the most affected, with average losses skyrocketing to £19,000, and men constituting the majority of victims both in terms of numbers and financial loss.

Red Flags to Watch For:

Scammers take advantage of social engineering — manipulating human psychology — to trick their victims. Here are some important warning signs that someone might be a romance scammer:

• Claims to be living or working overseas.
• Quickly declares love or a strong emotional bond.
• Avoids video calls or presents poor video quality.
• Requests to shift conversations to private messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram.
• Asks for money, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.
• Sends fake or AI-generated images.
• Attempts to cut off victims from their friends and family.
• Makes constant excuses for not meeting face-to-face.

More Than Just a Scam — Sometimes, It’s Human Trafficking

Perhaps even more alarming is the increasing evidence that romance scams are occasionally orchestrated by individuals who are victims themselves.

Many of these scam’s stem from what are known as “fraud dens” — facilities run by transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). Victims of human trafficking are compelled to carry out these scams under dreadful conditions, including physical abuse, starvation, and isolation. Frequently, they are enticed by fraudulent job offers that promise lucrative overseas employment, only to have their passports confiscated and their freedom taken away.
The U.S. Government’s Fight Against Romance Scams

To address this growing threat, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in collaboration with the FBI, U.S. Secret Service, FTC, and various other agencies, has initiated a unified effort to identify, dismantle, and prosecute the criminal networks responsible for these scams.

HSI also heads the Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT), which aims to support victims and explore the connections between online fraud and human trafficking. These initiatives have resulted in the seizure of illegal assets and, in some instances, restitution for scam victims.

Nevertheless, law enforcement agencies stress that the best defense is prevention through awareness.

A Call for Accountability — and Caution

Barclays and other experts are calling on tech companies to enhance their efforts in preventing scammers from operating on their platforms. According to the bank’s latest research, three-quarters of users feel that social media and dating app companies are not doing enough. As Kirsty Adams, Fraud and Scams Expert at Barclays, put it:

“Romance scammers have taken advantage of the shift online. We need tech companies to step up their support and take greater action.”

• If You Suspect a Scam: Act Fast
• If you believe you’re being targeted by a romance scam:
• Stop all communication with the individual.
• Do not send money, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.
• Report the incident to local law enforcement and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov