How to spot and respond to a romance scam

The story often starts pleasantly: constant attention, quick affection and the feeling that somebody finally understands you. The move away from the dating app comes early. Then, sometimes weeks later, a problem appears—travel, customs, medical care, a frozen bank account or an investment opportunity that needs your help today.

It may come with convincing photos, tickets or official-looking documents. Those can be stolen or altered. Pay more attention to the pattern: video calls that never quite happen, personal details that drift and growing pressure to keep the relationship secret.

The favour might be a bank transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, mobile credit, collecting a parcel or letting money pass through your account. Another common version is a polished investment site: the balance keeps rising on screen, but every withdrawal requires one more tax, deposit or unlocking fee.

• Never share bank login details, card data or one-time codes.
• Do not receive or forward money for somebody you met online.
• Reverse-search images and check names without using their links.
• Show the full story to a trusted person outside the relationship.
• Do not let embarrassment push you into sending a second payment.

Stop contact, but keep the conversation, payment references, phone numbers and links. Report the account to Ashegham. If you sent money, call the bank, card company, exchange or transfer provider now and ask whether the transaction can be stopped or recalled. Minutes can matter.

Change any password you reused and turn on two-factor authentication. Report the incident to local police or the relevant fraud service. People who run these scams are practiced at creating attachment and panic; falling for it does not make you foolish. Be wary of anyone who appears afterward promising to recover the money for an upfront fee—that is often the next scam.