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It’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air. You may think you spend a lot on flowers or chocolate, but losing money in a romance scam would cost you even more. Last year, people reported losing $143 million to romance scams – a higher total than for any other type of scam reported to the FTC. And, according to a new FTC Data Spotlight, reports of romance scams are on the rise.

What do we mean by romance scams? We’re not talking about the person you thought was “the one” but ended up being a dud. We’re talking about people you meet online, who lavish you with attention … and then ask for money. Usually they want the money by wire transfer or gift card. They might claim they need it for a medical emergency or to come visit you. Then they take your money, but there’s no surgery and no trip.

Romance scammers are hard at work wooing people on dating apps and social media. They may lift photos to create an attractive profile or even steal the identity of a real person. Just like with real romances, it may take them some time to gain your trust, but the scammer’s payoff can be big. Last year, people reported a median loss of $2,600 from romance scams.

How can you avoid romance scams?

  • Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven’t met in person.
  • Take it slowly. Ask questions and look for inconsistent answers. Check the person’s photo using your search engine’s “search by image” feature. If the same picture shows up with a different name, that’s a red flag.
  • Talk to someone about this new love interest. And pay attention if your friends or family are concerned.
  • If you suspect a romance scam, cut off contact right away. Then, report to the scam to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. Notify the dating site where you met the scammer, too.

For more information, read Online Dating Scams or watch this video:

 

Search Terms
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Topics
Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts
Scams
Romance Scams

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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

Rosebud
August 12, 2020

In reply to by Nanacarol50

I've blocked several people on a game site - one name is: Alex Sosnin ...
icul
July 24, 2020

In reply to by blondie77

Please let me know how to get the real info about the picture. I tried google image search but no luck. Please info on the scam agency name
Karen
November 12, 2019

In reply to by Carollee

This sounds very similar to a man I met on Mutual by the name of Joseph Dickson from Michigan. I did request a leave from the UN for him, he told me exactly what to say. The next day they told me how much it would cost. He was in Cyprus as an investigator then in Paris. He got angry when I called him a scammer, however I saw his picture and profile twice on Mutual with a different name and profile. I reported both incidences. These men have no conscience.
hyla
February 02, 2020

In reply to by Karen

dickson Joseph has been writing to me for about a week. I assumed it was a scammer and have been telling him about my cars and money..lol.. waiting for the bomb to drop. He is using decent technology as face time looks legit from a far. The words dont line up with the mouth movements so you can tell that it is tec driven... still he gets a b for efforts. His story gets weird as he forgets things he has said hence the change of name from what is his first and last. He also forgets his daughters age and when he is out of town he boards her... i think he got confused with his pets...
CarolineQ
January 19, 2020

In reply to by Carollee

I've been contacted by a US doctor supposedly working in a dangerous situation in Yemen. He hasn't asked me for any money yet but says he is going on a dangerous mission and may be killed. Do UN doctors go on dangerous missions? I've looked him up online and the person he says he is appears to be a doctor but one involved with liposuction not the UN! Has anyone else been contacted by this guy?
Ladychilton
February 08, 2020

In reply to by Carollee

I am in similar situation. Same story line just different name and place.
seva0746
March 22, 2020

In reply to by Carollee

OMG! Sounds so familiar..doctor working in Yemen for US government but he is from Massachusetts. Widower, one daughter had sent me pics of himself & together with daughter. He wants me to be her stepmom! Plays guitar on his profile very attractive. Goes by Dr Tony Wan Williams. Met him on Instagram asked to go on hangouts straight away. Asked money for new watch, no way!
Vee
June 05, 2021

In reply to by Carollee

The person is a dr. In Florida alao has son Ken and daughter Ann. The son also emailed to say he wants a mom.
joyjam
June 24, 2019

In reply to by DrBsBFF

Tell him to take a hike! Plain and simple! delete his email and block him!
Wrm
October 23, 2019

In reply to by DrBsBFF

Sounds familiar got one now who says he's in Yemen a orthopedic surgeon David Powell wants me to do the same. How you want to come to the states and you supposed to have a daughter you haven't seen in 2yrd or more. I thought this was real but flags are flying. No money is exchanging here
Tasha
October 29, 2019

In reply to by Wrm

Yes this guy claims to be an Orthopaedic Surgeon as well. Says he has a daughter who he doesnt see because of the child mother. He also claims that he pays for a caregiver to look after his sick mother. He first messaged me on Badoo (dating site). Location was Ecuador where he said he was on a medical conference. No money exchanged, haven't heard from him in days thank god.
PDS
November 12, 2019

In reply to by DrBsBFF

Been there done that you all. I kept copies of every conversation were he asked for money. Copies and of Ria papers WU receipts and all receipts dealing with money transfers. First go to your local police with names dates conversations everything. Then file a complaint with the FTC and FBI’s internet crime unit. Next time block the idiot and report them immediately don’t believe anything they tell you.
Margie
February 16, 2020

In reply to by DrBsBFF

I currently have a so-called Dr Jordan Gunther orthopaedic surgeon, working in Damascus Syria for the UN and asking to pay for his leave to the United States so we can get married. It’s all one big scam.
san24
May 01, 2020

In reply to by Margie

I currently have a so called Dr Michael Morrison general surgeon working in Damascus Syria for the un asking me to send £200 steam cards so he can go back to Texas he said that he has no friends a son that was 10 years old called berry who was in boarding school his wife died 7years ago to cancer both his parents were dead and he was an only child
Lilly
October 19, 2020

In reply to by Margie

My sister meeting a orthopaedic surgeon from Syria. What does so called dr Gunther look like?
Rhonda Howard
May 03, 2020

In reply to by DrBsBFF

UN surgeon son in boarding school widow James Patrick Pedro 55 need $1000 for vacation I sent have to Monday for it to be verified. Says he is coming to get me.
DrBsBFF
March 09, 2019

In reply to by DrBsBFF

New development, he’s madly in love with me and wants me to write to the UN to release him to come home for vacation. He sent me exactly what he needed the email to say. I never sent the email but yesterday I received a reply from them telling me how much money to pay at particular locations so he can return to the USA to come marry me. Then I received a document that looks real but when I zoomed in, it’s dated 2017 and signed by the UN Secretary from that time frame! What should I do with it? Who can I turn it into! He urgently wants me to pay the money that I have repeatedly told him I do not have! H E L P!!!
Breezy15
April 20, 2020

In reply to by DrBsBFF

Is his name suppose to be Dave William,a doctor in Sanaa Yemen, He supposed to live in California How are you going to love someone you just met last week. What a joke, he sent me some phony papers from the UN first of all they don't have an email. He wants $ 720.00 to come home so that we can get married bye but.
tam rosskopf
April 17, 2019

In reply to by DrBsBFF

This sounds like an Antonio Rodriguez. He claims to be an orthopedic surgeon in the army, widowed, 13 year old going to school in Turkey. First he was running out of minutes and could I get a gift card that he could use for minutes. Then calm for a couple of weeks. Then said he was on a mission, got shot and was awarded money by the Iranian Govt, 2.5 million to be sent to me because it was unsafe with Isis. Then it was their camp had been discovered and shot up but he escaped and needed 700 to get him out ASAP. Now luckily I kept saying no, and never sent him anything
Scammed by Rod…
October 18, 2019

In reply to by tam rosskopf

Could we exchange emails?? I would love to see if it’s the same guy I was talking too. Adrian Rodriguez is what he went by, orthopaedic surgeon in Yemen.......
Same thing happened
April 28, 2019

In reply to by DrBsBFF

Yeah, this orthopedic doctor in Africa telling me he lost wife to Cancer. this was on facebook and the page looked legit but I figured it out when he started asking for my email and ignored that I stated happily Married. His Name was Mark David. Googled and found this guy looked nothing like any Mark David and no one by that name an orthooedic doctor.
Sylvia
August 29, 2019

In reply to by Same thing happened

Mine goes by David Mark but a contractor in oil and gas living in Detroit and has an offshore oil pipeline project in Sarawak Malaysia. He uses photos of a Brazilian broadcast journalist by the name of Dony De Nuccio when I did reverse image search on Google with the most recent photo he sent to me on WhatsApp. Haven’t asked for money yet but I got suspicious when he called me on WhatsApp but doesn’t speak like an American at all and he claimed that because he’s mixed and avoided answering when I asked him what else is in his parentage when he claimed that his grandfather is Portuguese and his grandmother Chinese. https:// instagram .com/ donydenuccio?
Justbold
April 30, 2019

In reply to by DrBsBFF

Had 3 week encounter with Dr Wilson Robert in Syria through UN and NATO. Wife died 5 yrs ago while on a business trip, has son 11 yrs old. Owen just had birthday April 26th and Wilson's bday is May 4th!!
tootrue
August 19, 2019

In reply to by Justbold

I think I am also a victim, can anyone send a picture of this guy?
Lizabeth332+Do…
November 16, 2019

In reply to by tootrue

Well, looks like I have been added to the scammer's victims. Sounds like the same guy. How can we see a picture ?
FAYE
November 11, 2019

In reply to by Justbold

This is the guy that has been messaging me friend requested me on Instagram then told me to speak to him on hang out what a sweet talker he is lol asked me the same questions every tine he spoke to me .... I'm married so I wondered why he wanted to marry me SO BLOCKED HIM
Zelda64
April 04, 2021

In reply to by Justbold

Hi, I saw your post about this doctor who was working for the UN with a son about 11 years old, and his wife died. I am speaking with him right now, he's an orthopedic surgeon working in the UN. It sounds like the same guy. He goes by Dr. Robert Williams, working in Turkey and his ex-wife's mother is looking after his kid. He said also he lived in North Carolina. Did he ask you for money? It's only been 2 weeks we've been talking. Do you have any more info to give me?
Ams
May 01, 2019

In reply to by DrBsBFF

Frank Williams is without a doubt a scam artist. Tried it with me but I love to investigate things...
Orabie
September 15, 2019

In reply to by Ams

I have been approached by the same one, I guess.. How can I share a photo with you for reassurance?
Diane
May 21, 2019

In reply to by DrBsBFF

I know what you mean. I met a guy online. He is in Afghanistan working. He is an orthopedic doctor. A widow with a daughter. He asked for an iTunes card to upgrade an Apple computer.
Shirley
June 03, 2019

In reply to by Diane

I probable talked to the same guy....an orthopedic doctor in Afghanistan working. A widow with a daughter. So far no money but I quit talking to him because he was 19 yrs. younger,,,,said age was not a problem, he was attracted to me!! Red flag.....stopped corresponding with him!
tlth
June 17, 2019

In reply to by Shirley

A lot of these "same" guys are working from a call room with the same script. It's a job, they leave at the end of their shift. Sometimes the feds can work with foreign gov't to stop this but most often not - the call room just moves. Beware of anyone that you don't know personally asking for money and even those that you do know be weary.
Halfpint927
August 20, 2019

In reply to by Shirley

His name is Nicolas Hamson except now he is in solmia his daughter sonia isboarding school in cleveland because. His wife died in a horrible car accident while carrying his second child to bad he couldn't remember her name. Hes been texting me for the better part of 3 months and I am suppose to send him 500.00fir his vacation certificate but I need to send it to the un buy way of a man named gilbert in istanbule .does anyone know what this scumbags real name and photo are
HeidRam
August 31, 2019

In reply to by Halfpint927

I had the same story that his wife got killed in a car accident in Germany on Valentine’s Day 7 years ago. He went by the name of Travis Gary and claimed to be on an Oil platform in the Black Sea. His story was that the Finance Ministry of Georgia wouldn’t let him leave the platform until taxes were paid on the supposed 4 million dollars he got paid for his contract. He told me that he lived in Rochester, NY. I did some checking and the address he gave me didn’t exist. Travis had 2 sons Bryan and James that were left without a mother and had to stay with their grandmother until he could come home. I started digging some more and found out the pic he used for his profile was stolen. I confronted him and called him a scammer and a liar. Travis also got very upset when I called him that. I also had his cell number traced and it lead right to Nigeria. He actually threatened me after I told him I had his cell number tracked. There were lots of fake documents in my scam story as well and Hangouts is where he hung out. One day I decided to enter his cell number on WhatsApp just to see if he used it as well. Not only did he use it, a real picture of him came up and I saved it. I have a big binder bursting at the seams with information on this scammer Travis Gary. I think we are all getting the same person or group of scammers. I cannot believe how similar our stories are. If only we could all put our documents together and share with the FTC and FBI they could open up 1 big case and apprehend these scammers. I would be happy with catching one scammer at a time just to make a small dent into this big problem. My case involved fraud and money laundering and 3 mules in the US knowingly or unknowingly aided and abetted these thieves.
Logger
October 02, 2020

In reply to by HeidRam

This guy is still scamming victims with this name. Do not communicate with him , no matter what he tells you. Everything he says is a lie.
Mme your e-mai…
October 13, 2019

In reply to by Halfpint927

I have been taking w Nicholas Hansen too. I have pictures. Said he was Divorced with two children in California
MM
December 14, 2019

In reply to by Mme your e-mai…

Omg I talked to him too. He’s very articulate but also a liar.
sweet2020
May 13, 2020

In reply to by Mme your e-mai…

I have a military guy, divorced with 2 children one 8 and 6 yrs old. Single child, parents deseased. Wife a drug addict. Tattoos on both arms. Working in Yemen, but from Texas. Texted only on Hangout. alleges this is the method to get in touch with family and friends. No phone calls or Skype due to "restrictions " Claims to be a first sgt in the Army. Been talking for about almost 2 months. He is white, his father was English and mother German. Lost father at age 25 and mother at 37. Never has he asked me for money. Sent me a package about a day ago with his personal items because he is suppose to come soon to meet me, well the package which he sent is stuck in.....you guessed it Turkey. Supposedly Turkey customs wants over a couple of thousand dollars to release package.... I don't know. At times he seems sincere, but I have my doubts. Help!
Anoid
February 06, 2021

In reply to by sweet2020

Your guy sounds a lot like mine who tells me he has a box that he wants to send to me with money, jewels and medals in it. They want 7000 british pounds to send it and he has no way to get the money so I need to. Lol
Be real
January 26, 2020

In reply to by Halfpint927

Yes his name us Frank William's stop talking to him he is a scammer
Neifa
February 13, 2021

In reply to by Be real

Omg i talked to someone who used that name! Smelled a scam right away
Kristina
April 16, 2020

In reply to by Halfpint927

I want to say, the story is very similar to Nicholas Hamson and now he is Albert Johan
CeCe
September 10, 2019

In reply to by Shirley

I have a Sargent stationed in Afghanistan and supposedly he just returned to US on Saturday. The difference here is, 1. He has sent gifts to both my daughter and me and at times we get into big arguments about different things. I believe he is a scammer and I haven’t heard from him since he left Afghanistan 3 days ago. I am on messenger with him, he gave me his messenger ID and password and he hasn’t blocked me in messenger. I have sent him gift cards but I am not sure what is going on with him, I have over 25 pictures of him, I have been chatting with him since Thanksgiving of last year and he is divorced with a 6 yo son and his name is Allan. I will share pictures if anyone has this type of senecio.
esuCaroke Gonz…
October 28, 2019

In reply to by Don't use your…

Yes he scammed me says was from Miami Florida.He blocked me yesterday.As I asked for my money he's also involved in the occult.Strange things kept happened to yest I fell 2 months ago fell broke my toes knee cap ankle foot.Yet 2 days later me in excruciating pain I he'd to go get his ( +_+ ) Damn cards always saying they we're redeemed by another person he got my Gmail I saw all his pals on Hangouts Simon Anthony help me with this I'm so sick cry and cry
llr
October 03, 2019

In reply to by Shirley

I too was talking to a so called orthopedic Dr. who said his wife was dead and his daughter is currently quite ill in boarding school in England. I sent no money. He went by Freddy Starks.
Scammed by Rod…
October 16, 2019

In reply to by Shirley

Do you have a picture? He said she wasn’t a problem it was the love we have for each other is what was important....
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