In Focus – SCCCU Blog

Romance scams are on the rise, and technology is making them harder to spot. According to Barclays data, these scams jumped by more than 20% in 2025, with AI now helping criminals mimic voices, personalize messages, and target victims based on age, location, and interests. The Federal Trade Commission reports that Americans lose more than $1.4 billion each year to romance fraud, and experts believe the true number is even higher, since many victims are too embarrassed to report what happened. The Better Business Bureau estimates that up to one million people in the U.S. have fallen for dating scams.

And it’s easy to see why. Loneliness, hope, and the desire for connection can sometimes cloud judgment — leading people to send money to someone they’ve never met in person. Dating apps and social media have become prime hunting grounds for scammers posing as charming professionals working overseas, military members stationed abroad, or successful entrepreneurs — all carefully crafted personas designed to build trust before asking for financial help.

Of course, real love stories do start online every day. Plenty of couples meet through apps and social platforms and go on to build happy lives together. The difference? Like Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail, real relationships eventually move offline, with coffee dates, dinners, and face-to-face conversations, not endless excuses and urgent money requests.

When you first meet someone online, and things feel a bit off, look for these red flags before taking it to the next level:

Professing Love Too Quickly
If you meet someone on a dating app or website, or through a social media platform such as Facebook or Instagram, and they tell you they are falling in love after just a few conversations, be suspicious. Yes, you’re amazing, so don’t doubt that. But if someone uses the “L” word ASAP, warning bells should be sounding. It’s important to take things slowly, especially if you’ve never laid eyes on the person in real life.

Working Out of State or Overseas
Some of the most common occupations made up by scammers and reported to authorities include working on oil rigs, serving in the military in an undisclosed location, physicians working outside the United States, and people in construction jobs that keep them on the road for most of the year. There are also multiple reports of a successful businessman in Turkey — momentarily short on cash — who needs gift cards for his son’s birthday.

Asking for Money Due to an Emergency
Con artists are big on talking about trust and use bogus stories of sad life circumstances, deaths in the family, injuries and other hardships to keep their new love interests concerned and involved in their schemes. Scammers often ask victims to send money to help them overcome a difficult financial situation. Be wary of these tall tales and never send cash, preloaded gift cards, or money orders to someone you have never met in person or don’t know well. And remember, not all faux Romeos move fast. Some tricksters string their victims along for weeks or months before finally asking for money. Because they are typically scamming several victims at the same time, they can spread out their requests to be more convincing.

Wanting to Send You Money 
Some criminals are looking for people to launder money for them that was gained unlawfully. If a romantic interest you have only known for a short while wants to send you a pile of money, do not accept it, and break off communications with the person. There are criminals using stolen funds who need trusting people to accept and move money through their bank accounts. The only thing worse than finding out your new boyfriend is a liar is finding out he’s a liar after you’re sitting in a jail cell for unknowingly helping him launder money.

Online Photos Seem a Little Too Perfect
Sometimes, people will photoshop their images to look a little too attractive— or their photos will display perfect vistas of them on a beach, atop the Eiffel Tower, or under a Tuscan sun. Other times, scammers just steal someone else’s photo and profile to create a fake one. Also, it’s time to be suspicious if your new online suitor has all of the same likes and interests as you, right down to your love of Hallmark Christmas movies and fresh boxes of Tagalongs. Those kinds of made-for-TV matches exist only in your Hollywood dreams.

Quickly Asking for Personal Information
This kind of request can be even worse than straight up asking for money. If a new love interest wants to know your birthday (month and year), bank account information, Social Security number, home address and zip code, names of your pets and children, or even passwords to social media or email accounts, he or she is definitely, 100% up to no good. Some romance scammers will ask you to send photos or videos of yourself in a compromising position and then use those images to blackmail you. If scammers get enough of your personal information, they can steal your identity, open up phony credit cards in your name and do all manner of harm to your credit.

Wanting to Email and Text or Send a Pre-Recorded Video Versus Video or In-Person Meeting 
This is almost always a sure sign of someone who doesn’t want you to know their true identity. There’s a reason people say your eyes are the windows to your soul… Someone who doesn’t want to show you their face can’t be trusted. Some sly scammers who do video chat with victims sit in low light rooms that make it nearly impossible to see their faces clearly. This is your sign that they are probably shady, both inside and out.

How to Avoid Romance Scams
The FBI has a long list of tips and resources that can help you spot a scammer well before you ever exchange numbers. Here’s a look at the most important tips to consider:

• Don’t accept friend or follow requests on social media from people you don’t know.
• Never send money, gift cards, or wire transfers to someone you haven’t met in person.
• Use dating websites with national reputations, but still assume criminals are trolling even the most reputable online spots for new victims.
• Use online search tools such as a reverse image search in Google to make sure no one else shares the same profile photo that your new love interest is using. Also look to see if the same story line you may have heard from them is being used on others.
• If you plan to meet someone in person that you have met online, the FBI recommends using caution. Do not travel alone, and check the State Department’s travel advisories before arranging any travel.
• Trust your gut. If something feels off, it very well could be. Talk about the new relationship with a trusted friend or family member to get their take on the situation.

It’s important to report romance scams and financial abuse to your local law enforcement authorities. You can also report suspected online dating and romance scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.