SAN DIEGO (CNS) — The FBI San Diego Field Office warned the public today about a type of romance scam known as "confidence fraud," an online method in which fraudsters form friendly or romantic relationships to exploit trusting victims.
With Valentine's Day coming up, online scams are on the rise, "but any day of the year can turn into heartbreak if you do not know what to look out for when it comes to romance scams," according to the agency.
In romance scams, criminals use fake online identities to gain trust and affection. Scammers usually try to convince victims they have feelings for them, a ruse used to exploit money, personal or financial information, items of value, or to launder money, officials said.
In 2025, more than 250 victims from the San Diego area reported losing more than $9.6 million in romance scams. In 2024, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center collected nearly 18,000 confidence and romance fraud reports from victims across the country, resulting in a total nationwide loss of more than $672 million, the agency reported.
According to FBI officials, romance scammers are experts at what they do, spending hours honing their skills and sometimes maintaining detailed journals to better understand how to manipulate and exploit their victims.
"Some romance scammers use AI-generated content -- images, videos, voices -- to help them and their profiles appear more believable and to assist foreign criminals with language translation, which can expand their scheme on a much larger scale against numerous individuals around the world," the agency said in a statement. "They use well-rehearsed or scripted schemes to deceive vulnerable individuals looking for love or companionship."
Officials said after establishing a connection, romance scammers use different tactics to convince their victims to do whatever they ask. They may quickly endear themselves to gain trust, sometimes proposing marriage, they added.
Scammers often make plans to meet in person, but the con turns into one excuse after another, such as working projects overseas to avoid meeting in person, while also appearing disappointed.
These schemes also make it more plausible for romance scammers to ask for money, so they can purchase plane tickets to visit, cover unexpected or urgent work expenses, or assist with medical emergencies or foreign legal fees.
Sometimes romance scammers ask to send large sums of money for investment opportunities, but forbid the victims from telling family or friends.
"Be aware of red flags that may arise, do your due diligence in learning about who the person is and proceed with guarded caution," the agency said.
The following are tips for when meeting or developing relationships online:
- Be careful what you post publicly online
- Always assume con artists are trolling even the most reputable dating and social media sites
- Research the person's photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name or details have been used elsewhere, or flagged by others as suspicious
- Go slowly and ask lots of questions
- Do not share sensitive personal information, such as a social security number, home address, passwords or financial account information
- Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from family and friends. Never leave a dating or social media site to talk on an encrypted messaging platform
- Do not provide compromising photos or any financial information if requested, as that could later be used to extort you
- Beware if the individual promises to meet in person, then always comes up with an excuse why they can't
- Never send money, gift cards, gold bars or cryptocurrency to someone you have never met in person. Call a family member, friend or law enforcement before sending any of these items.
Officials advised that when planning to meet an online companion in person, meet in a public place and let someone know where you will be and when you are expected to be home.
If traveling to a foreign country to meet the person you met online, check the State Department's Travel Advisories, provide an itinerary to family and friends and do not travel alone if possible.
Authorities urged a victim who has already sent money to report the transfer of funds to the appropriate financial institution, call a local law enforcement agency or the FBI San Diego Field Office at 858-320-1800.
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