The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is raising awareness about romance scams ahead of Valentine’s Day because, unfortunately, not everyone who is looking for love has good intentions.
In 2025, more than 700 victims from Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island reported losing approximately $20 million in romance scams. It’s likely that many more losses went unreported because many victims suffer in silence due to embarrassment, shame, or humiliation.
“Fraudsters are lurking online claiming to be looking for love when they’re really just looking to loot your bank account,” said Ted E. Docks, special agent in charge. “We’re urging everyone to take a beat. The best weapon against these scammers is a healthy dose of skepticism. But if you do fall victim, report it to us immediately so the FBI and our law enforcement partners can do everything in our power to bring these criminals to justice.”
Romance scammers often create fake profiles on dating sites and apps or contact targets through popular social media sites with the sole purpose of building “relationships” to gain access to your money or your personally identifiable information. These fraudsters spend hours honing their skills, relying on well-rehearsed scripts that have been used repeatedly and successfully. In some cases, victims may be unknowingly recruited to transfer money illegally on behalf of others.
Criminals are also exploiting generative AI to commit fraud on a larger scale, which increases the believability of their schemes. They use generative AI tools to assist with language translations to limit grammatical or spelling errors for foreign criminal actors targeting U.S. victims. They also produce photos to share with victims in private communications to convince them that they are speaking to a real person.
Among the incidents reported last year include:
A woman from Casco, ME lost $20,000 after starting an online romantic relationship with a man from Cuba who claimed he needed the money to return to the U.S. After her bank warned it was likely a scam, she admitted she had sensed the relationship wasn’t real, but was initially too embarrassed to report it.
A man from South Hamilton, MA lost $1 million after he began an online romance with a woman who convinced him to transition their communications to an encrypted app to make several “investments.”
A Derry, NH man lost $1.5 million after a woman who he did not know contacted him via text message and after a few months of online dating persuaded him to invest in a bogus cryptocurrency website.
A Cranston, RI woman lost approximately $15,000 in savings and gift cards to a man she fell in love with on Facebook who claimed to be living in the Dominican Republic.
If you develop a romantic relationship with someone you meet online, consider the following:
- Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
- Only use reputable, nationally recognized dating websites; however, be aware that scammers may be using them too.
- Research photos and profiles in other online search tools to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.
- Go slowly and ask lots of questions.
- Do not provide your financial information, loan money, or allow your bank accounts to be used for transfers of funds.
- Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to communicate “offline.”
- Do not allow attempts to isolate you from friends and family.
- Do not blindly believe stories of severe life circumstances, tragedies, family deaths, injuries, or other hardships geared at keeping your interest and concern.
- Be skeptical if the individual promises to meet in person, but then always cancels because of some emergency.
- Don’t send inappropriate photos that could later be used to extort you.
- If you are planning to meet someone in person you have met online, meet in a public place and let someone know where you will be and what time you should return home.
- If you are traveling to a foreign country to meet someone, check the State Department’s Travel Advisories beforehand (http://travel.state.gov), provide your itinerary to family and friends, and do not travel alone if possible.
If you suspect an online relationship is a scam, stop all contact immediately and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. If you are a victim who has already sent money, immediately report the incident to your financial institution.
Resources
- https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/romance-scams
- https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf
Note: The exact numbers for 2025 will be available at ic3.gov once the Internet Crime Complaint Center’s (IC3) annual report is finalized.