Romance scams rise in the US, AARP warns residents to beware
FTC US64000 cases2023 plus AARP warning. Report count alone not a particular financial outcome.
Research & trendsData from The GDELT Project · Reviewed and interpreted by RSRC
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Matching coverage over time
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.
State police, Attorney General’s office warn Pa. residents about romance scams
PAAttorney/statepoliceprecaution, notactualraid/investigation.
Prevention & supportSecurity experts warn about 'romance fraud' | COSY Classic Hits 103.7
Security-expert warning, every station title read; no audience/incident count.
Prevention & supportGeorgia officials warn of uptick in romance scams
GeorgiaromancewarningheadlinewithgiftshoppingBBBdescription, adjacentretailinjurynotRomancecase.
Related mentionRomance scams may rise as isolation grows and generative AI helps scammers scale; FBI says US victims lost ~$4.5B to such scams over the past decade
Speculative isolation/AI discussion plus FBI4.5b historical aggregate. Prior loneliness is not harm caused by scam; generic AI format unknown.
Research & trends5 “red flags” de una posible estafa romántica
Spanish catfishing-red-flags discussion and online platform method; no actual identity theft/financial outcome.
Prevention & supportOfiary straciły łącznie 10 mln zł. Policja grzmi: należy być ostrożnym
Polish aggregate10million and social-portal romance police warning; not a unique case count or exact incident time.
Research & trendsPódcast | Por qué tu también puedes ser víctima de una estafa amorosa, un crimen muy organizado
Podcast title asserts highly organized love fraud and AI capability. No audio watched, actual case or specific synthetic format. Same-agent contextual correction: General explanatory/research method claim is commentary, not an actual individual occurrence or an expressly delivered warning.
Prevention & supportIslanders lost more than £400,000 to romance scams in Jersey | ITV News
Jersey400000lossaggregate/policewarning. Underreportingnotinstitutionalrefusal or exactincidence.
Research & trendsAI chatbots are becoming romance scammers — and 1 in 3 people admit they could fall for one - Shelbyville Times-Gazette
McAfee survey and Maggie's five-month Instagram contact; clipped outcome and generic AI do not establish payment or a synthetic format.
Research & trendsAtlanta man charged with 30 felonies after 5-year period of scamming
Atlanta12-yearimposedsentence/30feloniesheadlinefortax/BEC/Romanceperiod. No actualtimealreadyserved or Romancesubsetcounts; BECnotvictimemployertheft.
Reported caseSecurity experts warn about 'romance fraud' | ROCK 107 WIRX
Security-expert warning, every station title read; no audience/incident count.
Prevention & supportBetter Business Bureau: Be wary of romance scams on Valentine's Day
BBB money/personal-info advice; information disclosure to scammers is not helpseeking or identity-document offense byitself.
Prevention & supportZürich ZH: Romance Scam – nigerianischer Liebesbetrüger am Hauptbahnhof verhaftet – Polizeinews.ch
ZürichHBsuspectarresttitleonly; Nigeriannationalitynotoperatorcountryoractualfinancialamount.
Reported caseAI chatbots are becoming romance scammers — and 1 in 3 people admit they could fall for one - The Pagosa Springs Sun
McAfee survey and Maggie's five-month Instagram contact; clipped outcome and generic AI do not establish payment or a synthetic format.
Research & trendsCinco "red flags" de una posible estafa romántica – Agencia de Noticias Órbita
Spanish five red flags title only; no detailed individual loss.
Prevention & supportBay County Sheriff’s Office warns against romance scams
BayCountysheriffonlinefalsepersonae/socialrelationshipwarning, noactualindividualpaidloss.
Prevention & supportSecurity experts warn about ‘romance fraud’
Security-expert warning, every station title read; no audience/incident count.
Prevention & supportAI chatbots are becoming romance scammers — and 1 in 3 people admit they could fall for one - The Lake Sun
McAfee survey and Maggie's five-month Instagram contact; clipped outcome and generic AI do not establish payment or a synthetic format.
Research & trendsAtlanta man charged with 30 felonies after 5-year period of scamming
Atlanta12-yearimposedsentence/30feloniesheadlinefortax/BEC/Romanceperiod. No actualtimealreadyserved or Romancesubsetcounts; BECnotvictimemployertheft.
Reported caseLaredo Police warn of romance scams
Laredopoliceconsumerwarning.
Prevention & supportLiebesbetrüger am HB Zürich: Polizei warnt vor Romance Scams
Zürich HB29 suspect arrested, source alleges love fraud. Nationality does not establish Nigeria operation; no conviction or financial amount.
Reported caseHow it's done: Tips for avoiding romance scams
Fraudthroughloneliness/generalprevention, priorcontextnotpost-scamdistress.
Prevention & support'I was scammed £60k by a man on a dating app - he lured me in with one message'
MarishaWallace60000/lifesavings andlonglastingmessed-updistress, datingappmastermanipulator. Largefinanciallossnotautomaticmaterialdeprivation.
Reported caseBetter Business Bureau: Be wary of romance scams on Valentine's Day
BBB money/personal-info advice; information disclosure to scammers is not helpseeking or identity-document offense byitself.
Prevention & support