When Online Love Turns Dangerous: How to Spot Romance Scams

Online connections can be meaningful and rewarding, but they can also come with serious risks. In this guide, we’ll share practical ways to recognize online romance scams and protect yourself from becoming a victim.

Technology has completely changed how we communicate. Staying connected with friends and family is now effortless through social media and messaging apps, and meeting new people online has become increasingly common. While these tools offer convenience and opportunity, they also open the door to online threats—one of the most concerning being romance scams.

Romance scammers often pretend to be someone they’re not. They search for potential victims online and slowly build trust through frequent messages and emotional connection. Once that trust is established, they may ask for money, gifts, or financial help. Some even claim they’re lonely or struggling in real life to gain sympathy. No matter the story, it’s important to remember that the person you’re talking to may not be who they claim to be.

Whether you’re forming a friendship or pursuing a romantic relationship online, protecting yourself should always be a priority. The following tips can help you avoid falling victim to online romance scams.

1. Request Face-to-Face Video Chats

If you’ve been communicating with someone online for a while, they should be willing to participate in a video call. If they decline once, give it some time and try again. However, repeated excuses—especially when paired with strong romantic expressions—are a serious warning sign that they may be hiding their true identity.

2. Do Online Searches and Visit Scam Awareness Sites

Although it may feel intrusive, a quick online search can be very helpful. Try searching their name, username, or photos to see what comes up. There are also trusted websites that track and report known romance scammers. Taking a few minutes to check these resources can help protect you from fraud.

3. Review Their Facebook Profile Carefully

Creating a fake social media profile is easy, but maintaining a realistic online presence is much harder. Look closely at their timeline, tagged photos, comments, and interactions. Profiles with very few posts, minimal engagement, or recently created content should raise concern.

4. Ask for Help When Needed

When emotions are involved, it’s easy to overlook red flags. Try reading through your conversations objectively, without emotional attachment. If that’s difficult, ask a trusted friend or family member to review them. Outside perspectives can often spot warning signs that are easy to miss.

5. Trust Your Gut

Strong emotions can cause people to ignore their instincts, but those instincts exist for a reason. If something doesn’t feel right or makes you uncomfortable, don’t ignore it. Your intuition may be alerting you to a potential problem.

6. Use Critical Thinking

In addition to trusting your instincts, apply logic and common sense. Many romance scams become obvious when you step back and evaluate the situation clearly. If details don’t add up or stories keep changing, take the time to investigate further.

7. Stick to Verified Dating Platforms

Dating websites are common targets for scammers. To reduce risk, use platforms that offer profile verification features. Verified accounts add an extra layer of confidence that the person you’re talking to is real.

8. Examine Photo Tags and Activity

Photos can help verify authenticity, but pay attention to engagement. Real users usually have tagged friends, comments, or interactions on their photos. Profiles with numerous untagged images and no engagement may be using stolen photos.

9. Be Wary of Constant Excuses

Scammers often avoid meeting in person and rely on repeated excuses to delay face-to-face interactions. While occasional issues are understandable, frequent dramatic events or constant bad luck are common tactics used to prevent exposure.

10. Watch for Inconsistencies

Maintaining false stories requires remembering many details, which often leads to mistakes. Pay attention to small contradictions—such as changes in names, timelines, or personal history. These inconsistencies are often clear signs of deception.