Looking for love this Valentine’s Day? Don’t fall for Instagram romance scams
AP suitor warning opening, all three titles read; no detailed method borrowed.
Prevention & supportData from The GDELT Project · Reviewed and interpreted by RSRC
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Explore the coverage
Find reporting by topic, place or language. Open a record to see why it was included and what the available evidence supports.
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.
Romance fraud: 202 reports with average loss of £13,000 per victim in Essex
Essex202reports/mean13000 source aggregate, no exactincidence or individual equalityto mean.
Research & trendsAI chatbots are becoming romance scammers — and 1 in 3 people admit they could fall for one
McAfee survey title and byline only; no Maggie case facts borrowed from fuller copies. Same-agent contextual correction: General explanatory/research method claim is commentary, not an actual individual occurrence or an expressly delivered warning.
Research & trendsAI chatbots are becoming romance scammers — and 1 in 3 people admit they could fall for one
McAfee survey title and byline only; no Maggie case facts borrowed from fuller copies. Same-agent contextual correction: General explanatory/research method claim is commentary, not an actual individual occurrence or an expressly delivered warning.
Research & trendsEstafas amorosas: un cebo para personas vulnerables que deja el corazón roto y el bolsillo vacío
RNEreportloneliness/affectionpriorcontext, genericbrokenheart/emptywalletnotexperiencedharm; audio notheard.
Prevention & supportAI chatbots are becoming romance scammers — and 1 in 3 people admit they could fall for one
McAfee survey title and byline only; no Maggie case facts borrowed from fuller copies. Same-agent contextual correction: General explanatory/research method claim is commentary, not an actual individual occurrence or an expressly delivered warning.
Research & trendsRomance scammer's devious script revealed after international police raid
Australian warning and revealedFilipino scammer script after international raid. Raid subtype/search distinct from arrest/conviction; nationality notactual Philippine operation on its own.
Reported caseSan Valentino, occhio alle truffe amorose via mail: nel 2025 aumentate del 25%. Perché sono pericolose per i nostri dati
ItalianValentineemailfraud25percent2025trend, datarisknotcompletedIDdocumentoffense.
Research & trendsLove is in the Air; Swipe left on Romance Scams!
Visa swipe-left romance-prevention title/byline, no particular case.
Prevention & supportValentine’s Prey: Dating Scam Script Revealed
Australians23.6milliondating/Romance2024andAFPwarning; scopebroaderthanpersonalRomancecase, no raidborrowed.
Prevention & support「暗号資産の買い方教えてあげる」 由利本荘の６０代男性、４９０万円詐欺被害｜秋田魁新報電子版
Yurihonjo60sman490万円cryptotaken/SNS, buy-cryptoteachingbait; no detailedfalsepersona or incidentyear. Same-agent contextual correction: Crypto purchase/asset wording alone does not establish investment/trading or promised returns.
Reported caseScam Awareness: The Dangers Of Online Fraud For Singles On Valentine's Day
Loneliness is prior context in general preventive advice, not post-scam psychological injury or automatic victim blame.
Prevention & supportAI chatbots are becoming romance scammers — and 1 in 3 people admit they could fall for one
McAfee survey title and byline only; no Maggie case facts borrowed from fuller copies. Same-agent contextual correction: General explanatory/research method claim is commentary, not an actual individual occurrence or an expressly delivered warning.
Research & trendsAI chatbots are becoming romance scammers — and 1 in 3 people admit they could fall for one
McAfee survey title and byline only; no Maggie case facts borrowed from fuller copies. Same-agent contextual correction: General explanatory/research method claim is commentary, not an actual individual occurrence or an expressly delivered warning.
Research & trendsAI chatbots are becoming romance scammers — and 1 in 3 people admit they could fall for one
McAfee survey title and byline only; no Maggie case facts borrowed from fuller copies. Same-agent contextual correction: General explanatory/research method claim is commentary, not an actual individual occurrence or an expressly delivered warning.
Research & trendsScam Awareness: The Dangers Of Online Fraud For Singles On Valentine's Day
Loneliness is prior context in general preventive advice, not post-scam psychological injury or automatic victim blame.
Prevention & supportArizona ranks 5th highest in losses to romance scams
Arizona47m2022–2023aggregate plusgeneraltext/emailtrustwarning. Financialhistoricalscope differentgeneralmechanism.
Research & trendsAFP, Philippine police unite to out love scammers
AFP/Philippine joint prevention, not arrest/investigation from joined forces alone.
Prevention & supportArizona ranks 5th highest in losses to romance scams
Arizona rankloss title and generaltext/emailpursestringwarning. No47million amount from own clippedfields borrowed.
Research & trendsAustralian and Philippine police help would-be victims avoid online love scams on Valentine's Day
Bilateral AP Valentine prevention; clipped hearts phrase not actual harm/arrest.
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 & supportΠροσοχή στις "ρομαντικές" διαδικτυακές απάτες - Τι είναι το Pig Butchering
Greekpolicewarnonlinefraudexploitsloneliness/sensitivity. Priorcirc notpost-scamharm; piglabelnotinvestmentdetail.
Prevention & supportΆγιος Βαλεντίνος: Η ΕΛ.ΑΣ. μάς προειδοποιεί για τις ... ρομαντικές απάτες
Greek police pig-butchering warning; bare label not investment detail, video notwatched.
Prevention & supportRomance scammer's devious script revealed after international police raid
Australian warning and revealedFilipino scammer script after international raid. Raid subtype/search distinct from arrest/conviction; nationality notactual Philippine operation on its own.
Reported caseAI chatbots are becoming romance scammers — and 1 in 3 people admit they could fall for one - North Country Now
McAfee survey and Maggie's five-month Instagram contact; clipped outcome and generic AI do not establish payment or a synthetic format.
Research & trends