The dark side to Valentine's Day that costs lovelorn Aussies $28m
An Australian expert cites $28m in romance-scam losses in 2022 and offers advice. This is an older reported total, not a new 2026 loss.
Prevention & supportData from The GDELT Project · Reviewed and interpreted by RSRC
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The chart uses every search filter above and all matching records, across every results page. The percentage denominator is all included URLs in the same dates, before theme, language, country or text filters.
Distinct included URLs matching these filters in each observation month. Select a point to explore its records. On small screens, scroll the chart horizontally.
A URL counts once per month and can appear in several months or themes. Themes describe the current record assessment; months show URL observations, not when events or each claim first appeared. Warnings, allegations and reported experiences are all included when coded. Partial months, collection gaps and changes in sources affect both measures. A higher share does not establish a higher risk to victims.
Read the graph as a table
| Observation month | Matching URLs | All included URLs | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | 591 | 591 | 100.0% |
| Feb 2025 | 1,629 | 1,629 | 100.0% |
| Mar 2025 | 561 | 561 | 100.0% |
| Apr 2025 | 390 | 390 | 100.0% |
| May 2025 | 398 | 398 | 100.0% |
| Jun 2025 | 209 | 209 | 100.0% |
| Jul 2025 | 522 | 522 | 100.0% |
| Aug 2025 | 447 | 447 | 100.0% |
| Sep 2025 | 613 | 613 | 100.0% |
| Oct 2025 | 483 | 483 | 100.0% |
| Nov 2025 | 392 | 392 | 100.0% |
| Dec 2025 | 333 | 333 | 100.0% |
| Jan 2026 | 530 | 530 | 100.0% |
| Feb 2026 | 1,106 | 1,106 | 100.0% |
| Mar 2026 | 360 | 360 | 100.0% |
| Apr 2026 | 491 | 491 | 100.0% |
| May 2026 | 785 | 785 | 100.0% |
| Jun 2026 | 842 | 842 | 100.0% |
| Jul 2026 | 1,143 | 1,143 | 100.0% |
| Aug 2026 | 640 | 640 | 100.0% |
| Sep 2026 | 638 | 638 | 100.0% |
| Oct 2026 | 30 | 30 | 100.0% |
12,949 matching media records
Each record represents a source web page, not a verified incident. Different URLs can describe the same event. About these records.
الاحتيال العاطفي.. جريمة نفسية ومالية
Arabic commentary describes invented relationships leading to transfers or false investments. The excerpt does not establish prevalence or diagnosed psychological harm.
CommentaryFederal officials warn Western New Yorkers about romance scam surge ahead of Valentine's Day
A warning, advice item or prevention notice discusses romantic deception. Brief claims of growth, vulnerability or comparative ranking are attributed and do not establish a measured population rate or effectiveness.
Prevention & supportTenga cuidado este 14 de febrero: así es como la IA está siendo usada para estafas de San Valentín
Coverage discusses AI-assisted romantic deception and prevention. Its claims of scale or persuasion are not independently measured in the retained text.
Prevention & support「あなたの口座が利用されている」 警察かたる詐欺が急増 若年層もターゲットに
Japanese provisional 2025 figures combine special, investment and romance fraud. These totals and regional subsets cannot be assigned wholly to romance fraud or summed together.
Research & trendsBank of Ireland Warns Of Sharp Rise In Romance Fraud Cases
Bank of Ireland says recorded romance-fraud incidents doubled in 2025. Its own recorded cases are not the population incidence.
Research & trendsInteligencia Artificial y citas: el nuevo riesgo de estafas románticas
Coverage discusses AI-assisted romantic deception and prevention. Claims of increasing sophistication or scale are not evaluated causal effects in the saved text.
Prevention & support情人節前夕 FBI發警告：小心網絡愛情詐騙 | 大紀元
A warning, educational notice or advice item discusses romantic financial deception. The excerpt does not independently establish seasonal incidence or prevention effectiveness.
Prevention & supportLiebesschwindel-Fabriken richten Milliardenschäden an - Wirtschaft
German coverage describes organized romantic-fraud factories and estimated billions in losses. The brief text supplies no reproducible global estimate or current-year incident count.
CommentaryLove-Scamming-Mafia immer schlimmer – So perfide gehen Betrüger vor
Commentary describes organized romantic deception and potentially large financial and emotional harms. The generalized distress is not a clinical diagnosis or measured prevalence.
Commentaryเตือนระวังรักออนไลน์ “โรมานซ์สแกม” ล้วงข้อมูลส่วนบุคคลสูญทำสูญเกือบ 2 พันล้าน | เดลินิวส์
Thai advice cites nearly 1.9bn baht over four years and warns about personal information and money transfers. A multiyear total cannot be read as a current-year incidence rate.
Prevention & supportValentine's warning as AI fuels 'insidious' love scams
Coverage describes AI-assisted romantic deception and warning signs. Repeated coverage and claims of greater persuasion do not independently measure AI effectiveness.
Prevention & supportRomance scams empty the bank account – and rip out the heart | Biometric Update
A study is cited as finding 61% of UK dating-app users matched with a bot, scammer or catfish. The combined category is not a financial romance-victimization rate.
Research & trendsRomance scams are heating up as we approach Valentine's Day. Here's what to know.
A warning, educational notice or advice item discusses romantic financial deception. The excerpt does not independently establish seasonal incidence or prevention effectiveness.
Prevention & supportNAPTIP rescues 23 Nigerians trafficked to Thailand for cybercrimes
NAPTIP reports rescuing 23 Nigerians allegedly forced into mixed romance and cryptocurrency fraud in Thailand. Rescue is not proof that every participant committed an offence willingly.
Reported case沖縄の詐欺被害32億3千万円 2025年は過去最悪、前年から倍増 全国は3241億円 | 沖縄タイムス＋プラス
Japanese provisional 2025 figures combine special, investment and romance fraud. These totals and regional subsets cannot be assigned wholly to romance fraud or summed together.
Research & trendsValentine's warning as AI fuels 'insidious' love scams
Coverage describes AI-assisted romantic deception and warning signs. Repeated coverage and claims of greater persuasion do not independently measure AI effectiveness.
Prevention & support'Cruel' romance scams cost NI victims almost £900k – PSNI
PSNI reporting cites nearly £900,000 in Northern Ireland since April. This overlaps the more precise £866,000 figure elsewhere, rather than adding another total.
Research & trendsFBI Warns of Romance Scams Ahead of Valentine’s Day
A warning, advice item or prevention notice discusses romantic deception. Brief claims of growth, vulnerability or comparative ranking are attributed and do not establish a measured population rate or effectiveness.
Prevention & support‘Cruel’ romance scams cost Northern Irish victims almost £900,000 – PSNI
PSNI reporting describes roughly £866,000 over about ten months and around 100 reports since April. Euro and rounded pound versions refer to overlapping reporting, not additional losses.
Research & trendsThe signs of a romance scam to look out for this Valentine's Day
A prevention item, warning or educational event discusses romantic deception. Seasonal or growth claims in brief metadata are attributed and do not establish incidence or effectiveness.
Prevention & supportRomance scams on the rise, Mo. AG says
A warning, educational notice or advice item discusses romantic financial deception. The excerpt does not independently establish seasonal incidence or prevention effectiveness.
Prevention & supportPreocupa el aumento de estafas amorosas: la inteligencia artificial multiplica el riesgo
Coverage discusses AI-assisted romantic deception and prevention. Its claims of scale or persuasion are not independently measured in the retained text.
Prevention & support特殊詐欺やＳＮＳ詐欺が過去最悪の3241億円、2025年・警察庁まとめ 「ニセ警察詐欺」被害が増加 新潟県内も過去最悪
Japanese police provisional 2025 figures combine special, SNS investment and romance fraud. The ¥324.1bn total is not romance-only and cannot be added to regional subsets.
Research & trendsValentine's warning as AI fuels 'insidious' love scams
Coverage describes AI-assisted romantic deception and warning signs. Repeated coverage and claims of greater persuasion do not independently measure AI effectiveness.
Prevention & support