Sydney, July 11: The National Anti-Scam Centre has launched its third fusion cell, this time targeting the emotional and financial devastation caused by romance scams. The taskforce brings together dating and social media platforms, banks, law enforcement, crypto exchanges, victim support services, and academics to disrupt online criminals exploiting Australians through fraudulent relationships.
Romance scams are among the most financially damaging forms of fraud, often leaving victims with long-term emotional trauma. In 2024 alone, Australians reported losses of $23.6 million to such scams, with an average loss of $24,216 per person.
Particularly vulnerable are Australians aged 35 and over, individuals with disabilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Indigenous Australians, and those who are widowed, divorced, or seeking relationships.
Between January 2024 and May 2025, men reported more incidents, but women experienced greater financial harm—losing a combined $20.1 million compared to $13.3 million lost by men. Women also reported a higher average loss per scam, at $36,091 compared to $17,089 for men. Australians over 65 faced the highest total losses, amounting to $11.7 million.
“There is an element of betrayal in romance scams that is incredibly cruel and can leave people facing both financial and devastating personal impacts,” said ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe.
The Romance Scam Fusion Cell will focus on scammers using dating platforms, social media, and encrypted apps to build emotional trust over time before requesting money or other assistance. Scammers may even conduct video or phone calls to build credibility, making false promises to meet in person. When resisted, they may resort to threats or blackmail involving private information.
Two common tactics have been identified: “romance baiting,” where victims are encouraged to invest in fake crypto schemes, and “long-term romance scams,” where scammers sustain fabricated relationships for months or years to extract money or recruit victims into money-laundering schemes.
“There may not always be clear warning signs of romance scams; however, the relationship will generally involve excessive messaging or ‘love bombing’, efforts to move the conversation off dating and social media platforms onto encrypted apps, requests for money, or investment advice,” Lowe added.
The fusion cell aims to develop methods to disrupt scam operations and trial a new victim contact model to help individuals break free from scam relationships. It is the third initiative of its kind by the National Anti-Scam Centre, following successful crackdowns on investment and job scams. Earlier fusion cells led to the takedown of more than 29,000 scam social media accounts and nearly 2,000 fake job advertisements.
“Scammers thrive in silence, so let your report be the noise that helps stop them,” said Lowe.
The Centre continues to work across sectors to identify emerging threats, boost public awareness, and coordinate real-time interventions that protect consumers before scams take hold.
Spotting the Signs of a Romance Scam:
- Fast-moving relationships with overwhelming affection or frequent messaging.
- Attempts to shift communication to encrypted apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Line.
- Stories of remote work or military deployment to explain why they can’t meet.
- Sudden financial requests or offers to help you “invest.”
- Avoiding video calls or in-person meetings, and pressuring you to keep the relationship secret.
- Use of AI to simulate video chats with fake identities.
How to Protect Yourself:
STOP – Don’t rush to send money or personal details. Scammers create false urgency. Say no and cut contact.
CHECK – Could the relationship be fake? Speak with friends or family. Look for inconsistencies.
PROTECT – If you suspect a scam, contact your bank immediately. For identity help, call IDCARE at 1800 595 160. Report scams at Scamwatch and within the app where the contact occurred.
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