Data from The GDELT Project · Reviewed and interpreted by RSRC
Search the research collection
Find reporting by topic, place or language. Open a record to see why it was included and what the available evidence supports.
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.
| Observation month | Matching URLs | All included URLs | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | 264 | 591 | 44.7% |
| Feb 2025 | 554 | 1,629 | 34.0% |
| Mar 2025 | 141 | 561 | 25.1% |
| Apr 2025 | 116 | 390 | 29.7% |
| May 2025 | 193 | 398 | 48.5% |
| Jun 2025 | 53 | 209 | 25.4% |
| Jul 2025 | 151 | 522 | 28.9% |
| Aug 2025 | 129 | 447 | 28.9% |
| Sep 2025 | 164 | 613 | 26.8% |
| Oct 2025 | 201 | 483 | 41.6% |
| Nov 2025 | 164 | 392 | 41.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 124 | 333 | 37.2% |
| Jan 2026 | 67 | 530 | 12.6% |
| Feb 2026 | 224 | 1,106 | 20.3% |
| Mar 2026 | 90 | 360 | 25.0% |
| Apr 2026 | 145 | 491 | 29.5% |
| May 2026 | 200 | 785 | 25.5% |
| Jun 2026 | 121 | 842 | 14.4% |
| Jul 2026 | 191 | 1,143 | 16.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 224 | 640 | 35.0% |
| Sep 2026 | 139 | 638 | 21.8% |
| Oct 2026 | 6 | 30 | 20.0% |
Each record represents a source web page, not a verified incident. Different URLs can describe the same event. About these records.
A Shanghai woman reportedly lost more than CNY800,000 after WeChat matchmaking contact with a false military commander using AI face swaps and counterfeit credentials. Demonstrating apparent authenticity supported the deception.
Reported caseThe blog claims infatuation, cryptocurrency and lost millions. The story remains unverified; no specific impersonated identity or victim location is established.
Reported caseThe blog claims infatuation, cryptocurrency and lost millions. The story remains unverified; no specific impersonated identity or victim location is established.
Reported caseSri Lanka public warning about social-media fake-lovers targeting women.
Prevention & supportNetwork matchmaker, rapid marriage, 260,000 yuan bride price and 120,000 yuan agency payment reported before disappearance. Early 2025 incident timing stays distinct from 2026 coverage.
Reported caseDaughter reports her Saskatoon father lost over $500,000 after Facebook romance and a gold-bar investment promise.
Reported caseWidow Carol identified a potential romance scam on Words With Friends and avoided it; suspicion is not proven offender identity and no actual loss stated.
Reported caseAlan Irwin describes attempted sexual extortion following a dating-app meeting; threats to share an intimate video, no actual payment reported.
Reported caseDaughter reports her Saskatoon father lost over $500,000 after Facebook romance and a gold-bar investment promise.
Reported casePatna man reports four lakh loss after foreign-woman online dating approach via Instagram; foreign persona nationality is unverified.
Reported caseKanagawa police report a woman lost 1.84m yen to an account posing as a female soldier; claimed US military service does not establish US offender location.
Reported caseStudy is described as reporting German romance fraud and mean loss; this is secondary reporting rather than a population estimate established here.
Research & trendsTottori woman reported 1.6m yen electronic-money loss to account impersonating a male entertainer, with gold-transport fee pretext.
Reported caseTokyo police arrested four suspects in alleged dating-app extortion of more than 500,000 yen. Title labels crime-ring leader; unverified allegation.
Reported caseAnnaka man reportedly lost 540,000 yen to an SNS romance approach building affinity.
Reported caseAlan Irwin describes attempted sexual extortion following a dating-app meeting; threats to share an intimate video, no actual payment reported.
Reported caseAlan Irwin describes attempted sexual extortion following a dating-app meeting; threats to share an intimate video, no actual payment reported.
Reported caseAlleged Nevada dating-app offender is accused of drugging, robbing and killing older men and faces extradition. Eleven possible victims and two countries are not verified event counts.
Reported caseGlobal explanatory article explicitly about romance scams and Threads contact; no individual loss inferred.
CommentaryFive arrests in an alleged Grindr dating-app robbery scheme; arrest does not establish guilt or five separate events.
Reported caseJambi immigration says it rescued a woman from suspected dating-app love scam and deported a Chinese man. Deportation is not extradition or conviction.
Reported caseMixed investment/romance push-payment fraud total cannot be assigned wholly to romance scams.
Research & trendsBC senior report expressly describes debt and emotional trauma following Facebook romance scam; title amount not summed with other copies.
Reported caseBlakeborough report describes financial and emotional harm, heart attack and Facebook contact. Separation alone is not coded as scam-caused relationship breakdown.
Reported caseA 576.4 million aggregate concerns all authorized-push-payment fraud in 2025, with investment and romance named as examples. It is not a romance-only total.
Research & trends