Love and Romance Scams Online

Crimes committed through digital networks have increased and are expected to rise significantly in the future. In particular, frauds conducted through the internet have grown rapidly in recent years. A unique challenge in combating cybercrime is that criminals and their crimes easily cross national borders. Perpetrators may be individuals or part of organized crime networks, and they often effectively cover their tracks online, making investigations difficult.

A love scam, romance scam, or romance fraud is a crime that can affect anyone. Most victims are women, but it is essential to note that men are also targeted. The perpetrators are often highly skilled both in understanding human psychology and in leveraging digital networks. They exploit people’s natural desire for companionship or a life partner. It can be challenging for a victim to recognize initially whether the interaction is genuine or a scam orchestrated by a professional criminal.

How to Avoid Falling Victim to a Romance Scam

If strangers want to connect with you on social media, consider the possibility that they may be scammers. Review the following tips on recognizing a scammer to assess whether it’s a scam attempt or a genuine connection.
Be cautious; it’s rare for someone to profess love and promise to move in with you without ever having met you.
The timing of the first request for money is unpredictable. Sometimes it may come after months of communication.
Never, under any circumstances—even in an alleged emergency—send money to someone you’ve never met. Banks are legally obligated to monitor wire transfers and may prevent suspicious transfers to foreign accounts. Scammers often request money via cryptocurrency or international transfer services instead, or even through gift cards.
Even banks cannot block every transaction. If a bank transfer goes through, the bank is not responsible for transfers requested by the victim, even if it is later revealed to be a scam.
Never accept a transfer from an unknown person and then forward it. Criminals often attempt to launder money by sending it through several accounts before it reaches their own. Unknowingly, you could become involved in money laundering.
Do not invest in any opportunity recommended by someone you don’t know, even if they provide a seemingly reliable website or show impressive returns. Scammers often lure victims into starting with a small investment, which is returned with interest to build trust, followed by requests for larger investments. Hybrid Scams
Never send intimate photos of yourself that could later be used for blackmail.
Do not share personal identification numbers or other sensitive data that could be used to make purchases, apply for loans, or set up companies in your name.
You can verify a profile using a reverse image search on Google. Sometimes the same image may appear under a different name. Ways to Cope with a Romance Scam (includes reverse image search instructions)
A scammer may ask you to keep your relationship secret, claiming it’s unique and special, to prevent loved ones from interrupting the scam. Do the opposite—if you feel smitten, talk about it with someone you trust. Having a fresh perspective can help you both determine if the connection is genuine.

Never send money to someone you’ve never met.

How to Spot a Scammer

Scammers typically reach out via fake profiles on social media. Common platforms include dating sites, hobby forums, Facebook, Instagram, and other online communities.
If a stranger reaches out to you, especially if you’re not a public figure, it’s good to be skeptical.
The scammer often claims to work in a respected profession, such as a doctor, architect, engineer, soldier, or successful business executive.
They might say they have lived in Finland or have connections here and wish to settle in Finland permanently.
Visits to Finland are frequently canceled due to various unfortunate circumstances.
They may call you by phone, but video calls often “fail” for different reasons. Note that with technology advancements, scammers can now make video calls where manipulated footage makes the person on the screen resemble the profile picture, or at least obscures their face. AI advancements can also create credible images or videos of people who don’t exist.
Scammers might claim they recently sold their business or inherited a large sum but have trouble accessing it. They may request temporary loans to cover customs fees or other handling charges, often creating a sense of urgency to make the victim act impulsively.

Scammers create urgency around transactions to make victims act impulsively.

Requests for money may also be linked to emergencies such as medical expenses, payroll issues, unemployment, divorce, or the death of a loved one.
It’s not uncommon for a scammer’s accomplice, posing as a banker, customs officer, or doctor, to contact the victim. Emails might come from strange addresses, though they are often formatted as firstname.lastname@company.com.
If the victim hesitates or refuses to send money, the scammer may attempt to guilt-trip or blackmail them. Scammers create urgency around transactions to prompt victims to act without thinking.
Sometimes, scammers claim they are unable to handle their own financial matters due to their location (e.g., working in a war zone or on an oil rig), asking the victim to transfer funds on their behalf. In doing so, victims may unknowingly commit a crime, such as money laundering.

What Makes People Trust Scammers?

It can be hard to tell if someone is a scammer or just genuinely interested in a relationship. Life circumstances may create a void that a new relationship could fill, making a person more likely to believe the scammer.

Suspect You’ve Been a Victim of a Romance Scam?

Have you fallen victim, or do you suspect you might be a victim of a romance scam?

Stop sending money to anyone.
Contact your bank if you’ve already sent money or transferred funds on behalf of someone else.
File a police report.
Discuss your situation with Victim Support Finland, where the phenomenon is familiar and where you’ll receive respectful assistance. You can get support and guidance for additional services as needed. Services | Contact Information
Talk to a trusted friend or relative for support and perspective.
You can also take the test at the bottom of the page to help assess your situation.
Don’t blame yourself unnecessarily. You are not more naive than others; the criminals are just very skilled, and anyone in the right circumstances could fall victim.

If You Are in Financial Trouble

If you have accumulated debt as a result of the scam and need help managing your finances, consider applying for debt restructuring. Contact financial and debt counselors in your municipality or the Guarantee Foundation. Both services are free. Financial and Debt Counseling | Guarantee Foundation

Romance Scams

The following example illustrates a typical progression of a romance scam.

Maija, a 55-year-old woman who divorced years ago, received a Facebook message one evening from Neal, an American, who briefly introduced himself and asked for a reply. They began regular communication via email, WhatsApp, and phone. A couple of months later, Neal called, claiming he was on a construction site in England and facing bank issues preventing him from paying his workers. Maija agreed to loan him the money, given that Neal, as CEO, seemed financially stable.

Neal sent Maija a screenshot showing an account balance of over $400,000. At first, Maija loaned him €2,000 a few times, but further setbacks and fees led to more requests and larger sums. With online banking, payments went quickly, and soon, €50,000 had been sent to private individuals in Italy and the UK.

The bank noticed these payments and began investigating. They contacted Maija and received photos of Neal’s passport and other documents from her. An online search quickly revealed a stylish website listing company executives, but a reverse image search showed Neal’s photo was used in another person’s profile.

The scam’s structure was common, with websites set up for several “companies,” often reusing identical text on each site.

Maija was shocked to learn of the scam. She quickly realized the truth and stopped sending money. Although her financial loss was significant, she hadn’t sent all her assets or taken out loans.

The next day, the bank identified another client who had sent €2,500 to the same account in Italy. This time, the transaction was intercepted and refunded. The customer was both surprised and grateful that the bank prevented the fraud before any money left their account.

This example is based on, among others: Riivari, Hanna: iivari, Hanna: Rakkautta ensi klikkauksella – rakkauspetos kyberrikollisuuden alalajina. Thesis in Forensic Psychology. Åbo Akademi University, 2021.

Internet Scams