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About the Romance Scam Research Center

RSRC is a program of the Social Technology and Safety Foundation (South Dakota nonprofit). We currently focus on building a rigorous, searchable research hub—laying the foundation for future services.

Mission

The Romance Scam Research Center works to reduce harm caused by romance scams through research, evidence-based education, knowledge sharing, and the development of improved victim-support approaches.

Vision

A future where no victim is left alone, where real-time support guides protection, and where lived experience drives policy reform.

Values

  • Dignity & Respect: reject shame and blame, center the person.
  • Evidence-Based Action: decisions and content grounded in research.
  • Accessibility: clear language and inclusive design.

Founder and Lead Researcher

LD Herrera, PhD, MBA, CISSP, CISM, CIPP/US, is the founder and lead researcher of the Social Technology and Safety Foundation and its Romance Scam Research Center. He holds a PhD in Cyber Defense and an MBA from Dakota State University and is pursuing a PhD in Forensic Cyberpsychology at Capitol Technology University. Drawing on more than 35 years of information technology experience, his research examines romance scam victimization, disclosure, concealment, help-seeking, intervention blocking, and victim support. He has published and presented peer-reviewed research on romance scams, cyber-enabled harm, and the protection of older adults. His current work also includes developing AI-assisted tools and research infrastructure to organize, analyze, and make romance scam research more accessible. Full biography and publications

Technology platform

The RSRC technology platform was designed and developed by Expert Approach, Inc., a software and cybersecurity firm led by RSRC founder LD Herrera. Expert Approach provides ongoing software development, security maintenance, and technical operations support for the platform. RSRC remains a program of the Social Technology and Safety Foundation, which is responsible for its research and publishing activities.

What we do now

  • Identify, organize, and tag peer-reviewed research on romance scams and related fields.
  • Generate concise, transparent AI summaries to aid discovery.
  • Link only to publisher/repository locations (copyright-compliant).
  • Share founder research and talks to advance the field.

What comes later

  • Carefully designed intake and support models (phone-based, documented, trauma-informed) when staffing and protocols are in place.
  • Partnerships with elder services, guardianship networks, and researchers.