Romance Scams Surge on Dark Web Ahead of Valentine’s Day, Researchers Warn

As Valentine’s Day approaches quickly, scams related to online automotive dating are ramping up quickly. According to research conducted by NordVPN, these scammers have been taking to the dark web to facilitate the establishment of elaborate fake dating sites, as well as preparing fake profiles and AI-generated photos for individuals that they want to lure into a state of confidence, to ask for money.

Typically, these scams are disseminated among criminals through the use of underground forums and encrypted chatrooms, where they can help each other hone their skills at luring individuals into fraud. Research also indicated that scams related to romance have been around for quite some time; however, the activity over January exceeded other past months.

Many of these scam artists will target users of the most popular online dating sites in the world today, such as Tinder, Match.com, Facebook (Facebook Dating), Snapchat, Instagram, etc.  Individuals who are emotional and looking for romantic relationships would typically use these websites.

The experts who conducted the investigation believed that the criminals targeting these individuals operate using a highly-organized, systematic methodology, and have an abundance of patience when attempting to lure individuals to provide money and other valuable goods (e.g., gift cards, cryptocurrency, etc.).

For that matter, the scammers typically would establish some sort of connection (whether it be a friendship, a romantic relationship, etc.) with those individuals before soliciting them for any financial assistance or support. Often crime motivates inventing an emergency to create a sense of urgency, e.g., through travel.

Common Tricks and Warning Signs

Romance scammers have adapted many new ways to convince victims that what they see on the internet is real, by using fake photos and identities containing artificial intelligence (AI).

Many of these people are connected with an altered identity on social media and eventually fall victim to sodomy scams without knowing they have been scammed, because of the consistent evolution in the technique of conning others.

Scammers typically ask for permission to remove the conversation to a private app such as WhatsApp or SnapChat from regular dating sites and use their own identity to convince these people to act on their behalf.

The main reason scammers do this is to limit the ability for the potential victim to report their activity because many dating sites have multiple security features in place, as well as being easily able to be identified and accounted for. Once on private apps, they may ask for money for travel costs, medical bills, or investment opportunities that don’t exist.

Another red flag is requests for money or sudden financial needs. The FTC suggests you treat any request for money with great suspicion. If you provide money in this type of scenario, it is highly likely you will lose your money altogether.

Romance scammers use emotional manipulation tactics to pressure people into acting. Some of the more common examples are early disclosures of “feelings,” stating they are in trouble, or they may want to keep the conversation a secret. These emotional manipulation tactics make people feel special and not as likely to communicate with friends or family about the situation before acting on it.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) supports the belief that the fear of losing out or embarrassment causes people to respond more quickly than they may otherwise do.

Real Costs and Expert Warnings

According to the FBI, romance and confidence scams lost more than $672 million in the United States in 2024 from gifts, transfers, and payments made to scammers. 

The Australian Scamwatch estimates to have processed $28.6 million worth of romance scam reports for the year 2025, a 20% increase over the previous year (2024). The overwhelming majority of romance scams are perpetrated through various online sites where individuals meet strangers. 

Experts recommend proceeding with caution while using any of the various online dating services available before Valentine’s Day. They recommended users to:

• Stay on the platform: Do not rush to move to a private messaging application.
• Look for red flags: Signs are requesting money, giving excuses to avoid video calling, and not meeting in person.
• Privacy of your personal information: Do not provide bank information, ID copies, or any confidential information to anyone you don’t know online.
• Report suspicious activities: Many dating sites have reporting features that help to eliminate fake accounts before they can have an impact on others.

In a recent report from several cybersecurity companies, including McAfee, the prevalence of fake accounts as a means of perpetrating fraud in online dating has become an increasing concern for many.

Staying Safe While Looking for Love

While romance scams will often result in financial losses, they can also have a long-term impact on the trust and confidence of victims. Many victims report feeling ashamed and upset about being a victim of a romance scam for some time after the event occurred, even when the financial loss was trivial.

Experts say that it is very important to take your time when getting to know someone. If someone that you have met online is trying to get you to trust them quickly or is putting emotional pressure on you to send them money, then it would be advisable to take a step back and talk to someone you trust for advice before responding. Genuine relationships usually don’t move that fast or pressure you for financial help.

With the approach of Valentine’s Day, agencies are encouraging individuals to be safe in enjoying their online dating and be aware of the signs of scams, as knowledge and caution can protect both their hearts and pockets.

This message of vigilance resonates year-round, as fraudsters continuously pivot to new schemes, from fake love to fake health plans, always seeking to exploit trust and urgency.