As Valentine’s Day nears, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has issued a warning about romance scams that target individuals online. According to authorities, these schemes often involve fraudsters posing as potential romantic partners on dating websites, social media platforms, and messaging apps. The scammers typically build trust over weeks or months before asking victims for money under false pretenses such as emergencies, travel costs, investment opportunities, or medical crises.
United States Attorney David M. Toepfer stated: “Romance scammers are not looking for love—they are looking for money. They prey on trust and emotion and often target older Americans and vulnerable individuals. We urge everyone to slow down, verify identities, and never send money to someone they have not met in person.”
Scammers frequently use fake profiles with stolen photos and claim occupations that keep them overseas—such as military service or international business—to avoid meeting in person. They may quickly profess strong feelings or ask to move conversations off public platforms onto private messaging apps.
Red flags include rapid declarations of love, repeated excuses to avoid meeting face-to-face, ongoing financial emergencies requiring assistance, requests for payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency, inconsistent stories or poor grammar that does not match their claimed background, and requests to forward funds or packages which can turn victims into unwitting “money mules.”
To protect against these scams, the U.S. Attorney’s Office advises never sending money or digital assets to anyone you have not met personally; conducting reverse image searches of profile pictures; consulting trusted friends or family members before sending funds; and reporting suspicious activity without delay.
Victims are encouraged to immediately stop communication with suspected scammers but preserve all correspondence and financial records. They should contact their bank promptly and file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or reach out to local law enforcement.
Recent incidents in Northern Ohio illustrate the scope of the problem: one case involved a Ghanaian national charged with running romance scams resulting in losses exceeding $8 million from elderly victims; another saw an Ohio woman lose her life savings in a cryptocurrency investment scam.
The Department of Justice collaborates with domestic and international partners to pursue those responsible for these crimes.
Individuals aged 60 or older who believe they have been victimized can call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311 any day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., where staff can assist in filing reports that may help recover lost funds if done swiftly. More information is available at https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/stop-elder-fraud/providing-help-restoring-hope.
