Romance Scams

Romance scams are designed to build trust quickly, taking advantage of emotions to manipulate you to hand over your money. These cybercriminals often hide behind fake photos and profiles, and in some recent cases, they have even turned to artificial intelligence to impersonate famous personalities.

According to data from Scamwatch, romance scams were among the top three most financially damaging type of scam in Australia in 2025. Nearly 3,500 romance scams were reported last year, resulting in more than $28.6 million in losses.

In these scams, cybercriminals create fake profiles online, using stolen photos and fabricated identities. They ‘make the first move’ and initiate contact with their target, showering them with affection and gradually building a rapport.

Typically, scammers quickly move conversations onto private channels like texts or emails, which helps them avoid detection and gives them more control over the interaction.

Some scammers may ask for money immediately while others may invest weeks, months, even years, to cultivate trust and a seemingly genuine relationship. This makes it even harder to recognise the scam, as the victim truly believes they are in a committed relationship.

Spotting the red flags

Be wary of profiles and photos that seem too good to be true, especially if the person’s online presence is limited. Keep an eye out if they try to dodge phone calls or video chats, with excuses about technical difficulties or other issues, or if they make justifications about why they can’t meet in person or access their own money.

Note any inconsistencies in the chats or on their profile, and whether they try to build a bond quickly by expressing love and affection very early on.

Some scammers may even try to discourage you from discussing the relationship with friends and family, isolating you from those who could offer support and potentially identify the scam.

What to do if you suspect you’ve been scammed

With romance scams, the requests for money are often repeated until the victim stops sending money, or the scammer may disappear when funds have run out or no money has been sent.

If you encounter a suspected romance scam, it’s crucial that you act quickly. If you shared personal identification information or payment details, contact your bank or financial institution immediately to secure your account.

Even if you haven’t lost any money, reporting the scam helps prevent further fraud and can assist other potential victims.