ROMANCE scammers are targeting forlorn lovers ahead of Valentine’s Day tomorrow as experts issued a stark warning to everyone using dating apps.
Criminals are targeting people looking for love on dating apps, new dark web research from NordVPN reveals.
Researchers found that January is the busiest month of the year for romance scam planning – and NordVPN has said this year was the busiest on record.
The research shows scammers openly exchanging fake profiles, pre-written flirting scripts and scam services designed to manipulate victims emotionally before asking for money.
Fraudsters use January to prepare, knowing that dating app use and emotional openness tends to increase as 14 February approaches.
Scammers typically build trust using stolen or AI-generated photos, convincing backstories and carefully scripted conversations.
Victims are then asked for money via bank transfers, gift cards, payment apps or cryptocurrency.
In some cases, scammers also use intimate images for blackmail or send malicious links disguised as photos or video calls.
Experts warn that once someone falls victim to a romance scam, their details are often sold on and reused for follow-up scams, including fake “money recovery” offers.
Major red flag
Marijus Briedis, Chief Technology Officer at NordVPN, shared some of the techniques criminals use.
He added: “A common tactic is pushing conversations off dating apps as quickly as possible. Once someone moves to private messaging, it becomes much harder for platforms to detect suspicious behaviour.
“Scammers operating on dating apps often have giveaway signs, such abrupt endings to prompts on profile Q&As, or using someone else’s photos or AI-generated images. Don’t take this for granted though, as most of the time there is still someone operating behind the scenes.
“Another major red flag is urgency, so be on the lookout for sudden declarations of love, emotional pressure or unexpected financial emergencies. These are designed to stop people from pausing and thinking clearly.
“The most important thing is to slow down. If someone you’ve met online asks for money, gift cards or cryptocurrency, that should always be treated as a warning sign.”
Dariusz Karpowicz, Director at Doncaster-based Albion Financial Advice, said the millions who use dating apps are vulnerable.
He added: “Online dating is now the default way people meet, which means scammers have a captive audience of millions. The real problem isn’t just the criminals – it’s that technology has raced ahead while education has stood still.
“Most people have never been taught how to spot a romance scam, and there’s no reason to expect them to instinctively know. We should be teaching digital safety in schools alongside financial literacy, and offering the same guidance to adults who are navigating apps and social media without a safety net.
“These scams are constantly in the news, yet thousands of people still fall victim every year – that tells you awareness alone isn’t working. People need practical tools, not just warnings.”
Loneliness is the vulnerability
Colette Mason, Author & AI Consultant at London-based Clever Clogs AI, said AI means scams are getting more sophisticated.
She added: “The same analytics tools helping people find partners now help criminals manufacture fake ones at scale: AI photos, deepfake video calls, scripts that adapt to emotional cues in real time. Loneliness is the vulnerability. AI is the weapon.
“A friend’s daughter has had her official profile cloned and the scammer is offering X-rated videos to subscribers. She can’t get it taken down. Why can platforms recommend a match in seconds but not flag a profile that is fake? Because the technology exists but incentives don’t.
“Scam accounts drive engagement metrics, and engagement is what platforms sell investors. AI-powered scams now mimic genuine connection so convincingly that professionals get caught. Victim shame stops reporting, which suits both the criminals and the platforms profiting from the traffic.
“If you’re dating online this Valentine’s Day: video call early, never send money to someone you haven’t met in person, and treat reluctance to meet face-to-face as the biggest red flag going.”
Samuel Mather-Holgate, Managing Director & IFA at Swindon-based Mather and Murray Financial, urged caution.
He added: “Those looking for love are more frequently going online, and with scammers getting more sophisticated, it is easier to get drawn into the idea that these frauds are real and their love true.
“When looking for a partner you can be vulnerable and it’s when you are least likely to be cynical, but everyone needs to be cautious in this new world and common sense should be deployed at all times.”
Peak season for romance scammers
Kate Underwood, Founder at Southampton-based Kate Underwood HR and Training, said those using dating apps are easy targets.
She added: “Valentine’s is peak season for romance scammers, because nothing says ‘easy target’ like lonely and hopeful and a bit of pressure to be loved. And here’s the headline bit: Romance scams don’t steal your money first. They steal your judgment.
“They’ll come in hot. Love-bombing. Pet names by day two. A tragic backstory by day three. Then the classic moves: they won’t video call, they ‘travel for work’, their camera’s ‘broken’, and they’ll try to drag you off the app onto WhatsApp, where it’s harder to trace. How dangerous can it get? Very. People lose thousands, take loans, get talked into sending intimate photos, sharing ID, even moving money for them.
“The consequences aren’t just financial. It’s shame, stress, and a proper knock to your confidence. They use your info to tailor the con, impersonate you, or try it again on someone else using your pics.”
