{"id":25517,"date":"2026-02-12T10:49:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T15:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-us\/?p=25517"},"modified":"2026-02-12T10:49:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T15:49:51","slug":"how-to-spot-and-avoid-romance-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-us\/insights\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-romance-scams","title":{"rendered":"Is it love or a lie? How to spot and avoid romance scams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Social media sites and dating apps have changed how we connect with others. But as these platforms have evolved, so have the tactics of scammers looking to manipulate genuine connections for financial gain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Romance scams have become one of the costliest forms of fraud in the United States, with victims losing $1.16 billion to these scams in 2025, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The threat extends across all demographics. While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-us\/insights\/how-to-help-a-senior-family-member-whos-been-a-target-of-financial-fraud\">older adults are particularly vulnerable<\/a>, even younger, digitally fluent users fall victim to increasingly sophisticated operations that use artificial intelligence and stolen identities to create convincing personas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;These schemes are often run by organized networks that invest weeks or months building trust with victims,&#8221; said Charles Laugen, senior manager of Client Risk Prevention for RBC Wealth Management\u2013U.S. &#8220;The fraud works not because victims are careless, but because it exploits normal human emotions like loneliness, hope and trust.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding how romance scams work and recognizing the warning signs can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-us\/insights\/how-high-net-worth-individuals-can-mitigate-cybersecurity-risks-to-protect-their-assets\">help you protect yourself<\/a> and those you care about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-romance-scams\"><strong>What are romance scams?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Romance scams, also called online dating scams, are a type of fraud that targets people seeking meaningful personal connections online. These scams can be difficult to spot, with fraudsters hiding behind realistic fake profiles and leveraging AI-powered tools, including chatbot-driven conversations and deepfake audio or video, to create lifelike personas that feel relatable and genuine. By scanning a target\u2019s profile, they can pick up on interests, preferences and other details to help build rapport and deepen the connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Financial requests are typically introduced gradually to avoid raising suspicion. They might be small at first\u2014a bill they can&#8217;t cover, a temporary cash-flow problem\u2014before escalating to larger sums. By the time significant money changes hands, victims often feel emotionally invested in the relationship, making it harder to recognize the manipulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-romance-scam-warning-signs\"><strong>Romance scam warning signs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Watch for these common red-flag behaviors to help you spot a potential romance scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-they-move-too-fast-emotionally\">1. <strong>They move too fast emotionally<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Shortly after connecting, romance scammers will flood targets with compliments, praise and affectionate messages. This constant attention\u2014known as \u201clove bombing\u201d\u2014is meant to create the illusion of a close romantic relationship, even though you\u2019ve never met in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-they-push-to-move-contact-outside-the-app-or-website\">2. <strong>They push to move contact outside the app or website<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dating apps and social media platforms have built-in security measures to detect and ban potential scammers. To avoid these safeguards, scammers will quickly ask to move conversations to unmonitored platforms such as text messaging or email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-they-avoid-meeting-or-video-chatting\">3. <strong>They avoid meeting or video chatting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Repeatedly canceling video calls and in-person meetings is a telltale sign of a romance scam. Scammers will make plans to meet, then invent a sudden, unavoidable emergency\u2014such as a family crisis or business obligation\u2014that prevents them from following through. This strategy buys time for further emotional manipulation and creates opportunities to ask for financial assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-they-have-an-urgent-need-for-money\">4. <strong>They have an urgent need for money<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Eventually, a romance scammer will ask for money. They might say it\u2019s for travel expenses to finally meet in person, for a medical emergency or to pay off debts so they can start a new life with you. They\u2019ll often request funds via&nbsp;gift cards, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/en-us\/insights\/eight-common-crypto-scams-and-how-to-spot-them\">cryptocurrency<\/a> or wire transfers\u2014payment methods that are difficult to trace or reverse once a transactions is complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-protect-yourself-from-romance-scams\"><strong>How to protect yourself from romance scams<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Romance scams can be both financially and emotionally damaging. Laugen recommends the following steps to keep yourself safe while participating in online relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-take-things-slow\">1. <strong>Take things slow<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Be wary of anyone who expresses strong emotions too quickly or tries to move the relationship forward at an unusually fast pace.&nbsp;Give yourself time to get to know the person thoroughly. Ask questions, observe how they respond and pay attention to inconsistencies in their stories. Genuine connections won\u2019t pressure you into making premature commitments or decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-verify-their-identity-early-nbsp\">2. <strong>Verify their identity early&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before getting too involved with an online love interest, verify the person\u2019s identity with a video call directly on the app. Scammers typically avoid face-to-face interactions, so insisting on seeing them on camera can help unmask fake profiles early on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try to find them on other social media platforms to confirm they\u2019re authentic, and check for inconsistencies between their accounts. Real profiles typically show a history of posts and photos, while fake ones may lack those details or seem overly polished.&nbsp;You can also conduct&nbsp;reverse image searches&nbsp;to see if their profile pictures are used elsewhere online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-protect-your-personal-and-financial-information-nbsp\">3. <strong>Protect your personal and financial information&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Never share sensitive information like your home address, workplace or any financial details with someone you&#8217;ve just met online. Use strong privacy settings on social media and limit the personal information you share publicly. Do not send money, gift cards or valuables to an online romantic interest you have not met in person\u2014even if they say they need it for an emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-talk-with-family-and-friends\">4. <strong>Talk with family and friends<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you meet someone online, talk to someone you trust about them. Friends or family members can give you fresh perspectives and point out red flags you might have missed. Sometimes, others can recognize patterns or inconsistencies that are easy to overlook when you\u2019re emotionally involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-trust-your-intuition\">5. <strong>Trust your intuition<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If something feels off in the relationship\u2014such as requests for money or repeated excuses to avoid face-to-face contact\u2014trust your instincts and say no. Scammers prey on emotional vulnerability, so it\u2019s important to listen to any doubts you may have. If you run into a suspicious or fake profile, report it directly to the platform. Not only will this protect you, but it will help prevent others from falling victim to the scammer as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhile romance scams continue to evolve alongside technology, the underlying warning signs remain consistent,\u201d Laugen says. \u201cAwareness and caution are your strongest safeguards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-report-a-romance-scam\"><strong>How to report a romance scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you or someone you know has been targeted by a romance scam, take the following steps right away:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Stop all contact.<\/strong> Immediately block the individual and cease all communication to prevent further manipulation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Contact your financial institution.<\/strong> If money was sent, notify your bank or financial advisor right away to see if any funds can be recovered.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Report the incident.<\/strong> File a report with the FTC at&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/reportfraud.ftc.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportfraud.ftc.gov <\/a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ic3.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) <\/a>&nbsp;to assist with further investigations. You should also report the fraud to the platform where you met the scammer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Monitor financial accounts. <\/strong>Closely watch your bank statements and credit reports for suspicious activity. Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze if personal information was shared.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Do not blame yourself. <\/strong>These scams rely on sophisticated psychological manipulation tactics and can affect anyone. Feelings of embarrassment and shame are common but unwarranted. Speak with a trusted family member, friend or advisor for emotional support.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-rbcwm-rbc-block rbc-block rbc-block-well rbc-block-small rbc-mid-page-cta has-white-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"\"><div class=\"row \"><div class=\"col-lg-12\">\n<p class=\"cta-content\">Our fraud and scam recovery guide provides guidance on recovering from fraud, scams and identity theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">\n<a class=\"wp-block-button rbc-button-no-icon rbc-mid-page-button is-style-secondary rbc-button rbc-button-secondary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcwealthmanagement.com\/assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/documents\/legal\/fraud-scam-recovery-guide.pdf\">View the guide<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Parts of this article were originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnb.com\/personal-banking\/insights\/romance-scams.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.cnb.com <\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Online dating scams exploit emotional connections for financial gain. Learn the red flags and how to protect yourself. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":25540,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rbcwm_post_date":"","editor_notices":[],"rbc_url_alias":"","rbcwm_featured_desktop_image_position":"","rbcwm_featured_mobile_image_position":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[368,138],"tags":[369,913,914,912],"rbcwm_content_owner":[],"rbcwm_need":[463,483],"rbcwm_segment":[460],"rbcwm_solution":[465],"rbcwm_topic":[464],"rbcwm_channel":[],"rbcwm_format":[],"class_list":["post-25517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wealth-protection","category-your-finances","tag-fraud","tag-online-dating-scams","tag-online-fraud","tag-romance-scams","rbcwm_need-protect","rbcwm_need-support","rbcwm_segment-individuals-and-families","rbcwm_solution-wealth-planning","rbcwm_topic-your-wealth"],"acf":{"rbcwm_subtitle":"Online dating scams exploit emotional connections for financial gain. Learn the red flags and how to protect yourself. ","rbcwm_post_author":"","rbcwm_custom_breadcrumb_text":"","rbcwm_custom_breadcrumb_link_url":"","rbcwm_disclaimers":{"add_disclosures":"","perspective_disclaimer":"","expandable":"","omit_from_pages":"","disclaimer_footnote":""},"rbcwm_insight_cta_id":[8484],"rbcwm_pagination":{"next_link":"","next_link_text":"Next article","previous_link":"","previous_link_text":"Previous article"},"rbcwm_video_duration":"","article_time":"","rbcwm_enable_toc":true,"rbcwm_toc_selector":"h2"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.8 (Yoast SEO v26.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Is it love or a lie? How to spot and avoid romance scams<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn to spot and avoid romance scams in online dating. 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