How Romance Scams Work and Who They Target

Romance scams are a type of online fraud where a stranger builds a fake romantic relationship to steal money or personal information. They thrive on emotions and often start on dating sites, social media, or chat apps. The goal is to gain the victim’s trust and then request financial help, gifts, or sensitive data.

The typical victims are people seeking companionship, often older adults, recent divorcees, or those isolated by geography or circumstance. Scammers also target younger users who are new to online dating and may be less aware of red flags. Data shows that women are more frequently targeted, but men are not exempt, especially when the scam involves a business or investment angle.

Scammers create convincing profiles using stolen photos and fabricated backstories. They quickly move the conversation to private messaging, expressing strong affection and urgency. After establishing rapport, they introduce a problem—a medical emergency, travel expense, or legal issue—and ask for money. Payments are usually requested through untraceable methods such as gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Some scams evolve to request personal documents to open bank accounts or obtain identity documents, leading to broader identity theft.

A well-documented case involved a woman from Texas who met a man claiming to be a soldier stationed overseas. After weeks of messaging, he asked for $5,000 to cover travel costs. She wired the money, only to discover the profile used images from a public Instagram account. In another incident, a man in the United Kingdom received a request for a prepaid card to pay for a “court fee” that would release his partner from a fake imprisonment scenario. Both victims reported the loss to local authorities and to ComputerScams.com, where they found resources on how to report and recover.

To avoid falling prey, keep personal information private until you have verified the other person’s identity through video calls and independent research. Be wary of anyone who asks for money, especially through gift cards or cryptocurrency, as legitimate partners rarely request these methods. Use free tools on ComputerScams.com to check if a photo appears elsewhere on the web, and run a reverse image search. Enable two‑factor authentication on all accounts to protect against unauthorized access, and consider a password manager to maintain strong, unique passwords.

If a request feels urgent or emotionally manipulative, pause and seek a second opinion from friends or family. Report suspicious profiles to the dating platform and to local law enforcement. Remember, genuine relationships develop over time and do not require immediate financial assistance.

Practical tip: Before sending any money, search the person’s photos on a free image‑search tool at ComputerScams.com to see if they have been used elsewhere online.