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Key Points
- Romance scams cost Australians over $23 million last year, with scammers using increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive victims.
- While older adults, widowers, divorcees, migrants and Indigenous people are often targeted, anyone looking for love online can fall victim.
- Scammers build trust quickly, using emotional manipulation to ask for money or personal details.
- Knowing the red flags (inability to meet in person, secrecy, and requests for money) can help protect you and your loved ones.
Knowing the red flags (inability to meet in person, secrecy, and requests for money) can help protect you and your loved ones. Source: iStockphoto / SPmemory/Getty Images/iStockphoto
How do romance scams operate?
Love bombing: is when the scammer professes love early on and floods you with messages and calls. Source: iStockphoto / Frank Brennan/Getty Images
Romance scams: The red flags
-Moving off platforms quickly: they insist on shifting conversations from dating apps and social media to encrypted messaging platforms like WhatsApp, which makes them harder to track.
- Secrecy: They discourage you from discussing the relationship with loved ones, claiming they wouldn’t understand.
- Avoiding in-person meetings: They frequently make excuses for not meeting face-to-face, often citing overseas work or family emergencies.
- Requests for money: They ask for financial help due to urgent medical bills, travel expenses, or
How to protect yourself from scams
- Never share personal information, passwords, or financial details with someone you meet online.
- Avoid sending intimate photos or videos, as scammers may use them for blackmail.
- Never transfer money to someone you’ve only met online or participate in they suggest.
- Be aware that scammers now use AI-generated images and videos, making video calls insufficient for verification.
Dr Ritesh Chugh, associate professor and socio-tech expert from Central Queensland University.
What to do if you’re a victim of a romance scam
If you suspect you’ve been scammed:
- Contact your bank immediately to stop further transactions and secure your accounts.
- Change your online passwords to prevent further breaches.
- Contact for support.
- Report the scam to (National Anti-Scam Centre).
“We know that scammers are highly skilled manipulators who prey on trust and emotions. Feeling shame or embarrassment is natural, but reporting the scam can help prevent others from falling into the same trap. There’s no doubt that victims deserve support. Talk to someone you trust, reach out to family and friends or professional counselling services. And please, report. By reporting the scam, you take back control and contribute to the fight against these crimes,” Dr Ritesh Chugh says.
If you’ve been the victim of a romance scam, please know that you’re not alone. It happens to millions of people in Australia and globally. And it is not your fault. Stop engaging with them, block them and report them.
Dr Ritesh Chugh
Romance scams cost Australians over $23 million last year, with scammers using increasingly sophisticated tactics to deceive victims. Source: Moment RF / sarayut Thaneerat/Getty Images
How to help a romance scam victim
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