Romance scams are leaving Australian's heartbroken

Picture this - you’' in love!

It’s been a whirlwind online romance. You text for hours and have spoken over the phone too. You really get each other! Things are moving along perfectly. You're both keen to take the next step and meet up in real life.

Your online paramour is booking flights, but there's a problem.

Maybe it's a payroll situation with their employer, or their bank. Whatever the case, they need to borrow some money for airfares but will pay you back tomorrow, once it is all sorted.

While you trust this person, this is a red flag that you are likely caught up in a potential romance scam.

These scams are run by fraudsters who fake romantic interests in people, to swindle you out of your money or personal information.

Romance scams cost unsuspecting (and subsequently heartbroken) Australians $23.5 million in 2024 (scamwatch.gov.au) and are the third largest online scam in the country.

Often taking place on dating apps and social media, they can happen at any age and to anyone looking for love.

How do romance scams work?

Typically, scammers create fake accounts on dating apps, social media or websites to seek out people looking for love and friendship. They will usually use photographs of other people, and often pretend to be celebrities, as a way of engaging in online messaging with a view to gaining a person's trust.

Then, after months of communication, they'll suddenly ask for money.

It could be that they have an emergency in their life and need to borrow money. Sometimes, they claim to be having card / payment issues when booking flights to visit their online romantic partner (aka target). Another common scam is trying to convince you to invest in fake cryptocurrency schemes – all in the name of love.

Whichever method they use, it ends with them taking your money and you not being able to get it back.

What to watch out for

• The relationship moves fast and they soon say they have strong feelings for you. They message and / or call a lot, making you feel special.