Emma met Daniel on Tinder, and was head over heels for him from the first online chat.

Daniel was perfect. He was a handsome, well-traveled entrepreneur with a warm smile and kind eyes. His profile was everything she had dreamed of — pictures of him hiking in the Swiss Alps, dining in Paris and working in his upscale, modern office. His bio was just as impressive: a successful consultant who traveled a lot but wanted to find “the one” to share in his life’s adventures.

Their relationship grew and their conversations flowed easily. Daniel always seemed to know exactly what to say. Unlike other men she’d dated, he wasn’t just looking for small talk — he was emotionally available, sincere and attentive.

There was just one problem: He was never able to meet in person.

Whenever Emma suggested a coffee date or even a video call, Daniel had an excuse. “I’d love to, but I’m in Hong Kong for work. Can we just text for now?”

At first, it made sense — after all, his lifestyle was super-busy and glamorous. But then things took a turn.

One evening, Daniel confided in her. He had just landed a huge business deal, but due to a banking issue while overseas, he couldn’t access his funds. “It’s so frustrating,” he said. “I have to close this deal before flying home, but my accounts are frozen for 48 hours. Can you help me out? Just a small loan, and I’ll pay you back as soon as I return.”

Emma hesitated. She’d heard of dating scams, but this was Daniel — the man who had spent months getting to know her, who seemed to genuinely care. He even sent her a copy of his passport to prove his identity.

Luckily, before sending any money, Emma confided in a friend, who quickly did a reverse-search on Daniel’s profile pictures and found out they actually belonged to a European model with no connection to a person named Daniel. She’d been scammed! Daniel was just a carefully crafted illusion — a scammer who had stolen photos and built a perfect online persona, and even got hold of a bogus passport, just to manipulate and deceive her into giving him money.

Unfortunately, Emma isn’t alone. Thousands of people fall victim to romance scams every year, losing millions of dollars to people they believed were their soulmates. Let’s take a closer look at these scams, red flags, and what to do if you find yourself in one.

The anatomy of a romance scam: How it happens

Step 1: The perfect match

First, scammers create fake profiles on dating sites and social media platforms. They’ll scrape pictures of attractive people off the internet, claiming to be someone they’re not. Their profiles will be perfect — well-traveled, successful and emotionally available.

Step 2: The emotional hook

Once the scammer connects with a victim, they’ll move quickly. They’ll love-bomb the target, showering them with compliments, deep conversations and grand declarations of love. They’ll claim to feel a strong connection within days or weeks.

Step 3: The excuses begin

Soon, the scammer will claim to live far away. They may tell their “date” that they’re working overseas, in the military or on a secret government mission. This way, they can avoid meeting in person while continuing the relationship online.

Step 4: The financial trap

With the stage set, the scammer will swoop in with the big ask: they’ll claim to need money for a sudden emergency, a business opportunity or travel expenses. The scammer will typically ask for the money to be sent via wire transfer, prepaid debit card or crypto payments, as these methods are all challenging or impossible to reverse.

Step 5: The disappearance

Once the scammer gets what they want, or the victim starts asking too many questions, they’ll disappear. They might ghost the victim, or they may create a new excuse to extend the scam. By the time the victim realizes what happened, their money’s gone and the scammer has moved on to their next target.

Red flags of romance scams

Watch out for these red flags in an online date, which may indicate a romance scam:

• The relationship moves too quickly.
• They avoid video calls and in-person meets.
• Their profile is too good to be true.
• They constantly need money.
• They ask for personal information.
• They’re frequently “traveling” or “deployed”.

If you’ve fallen victim

If you’ve fallen for a romance scam, stop all contact with the scammer. Report the scam to the FTC and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). It’s also important to contact your credit union or bank, as they may be able to reverse the transaction. Finally, let your friends and family know about the scam so they can be aware of the circulating ruse.

Love is real — but so are scammers. Stay safe, trust your instincts and remember: real love doesn’t come with a price tag.