Safeguarding against romance scams

FEBRUARY is traditionally a time when people seek companionship with the hope of finding true love.

- MANIE VAN SCHALKWYK

But while many are searching for genuine relationships, scammers are equally active, preying on emotional vulnerability and the desire for connection. The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) warns that romance scams spike during this period, with criminals using increasingly sophisticated, tech-driven tactics to deceive their victims.

Romance scams are no longer obvious. They are highly elaborate, psychologically engineered, and technologically enabled, while romance scams are a reality all year round, scammers actively target and exploit people’s emotions more around Valentine's Day. We want South Africans to be alert, informed, and protected.

The illusion of connection: How scammers build trust

In today’s hyper-connected world, social media platforms and dating apps have become mainstream avenues for meeting new people. While these platforms offer convenience, they also create fertile ground for scammers.

Scammers are exceptionally skilled at crafting profiles that mirror the ideal partner: attractive, attentive, similar interests, and emotionally available. They study what people want and then present themselves as the perfect match. Once the initial connection is made, they invest significant time in building a relationship, gaining trust, and emotional intimacy.

This is known as social engineering, in which they use their victims’ behaviour and what they share with the world against them to influence or deceive them.

People underestimate how powerful emotional engineering can be. Scammers don't just steal money; they steal trust, dignity, and emotional security.

The tactics: How scammers turn connection into exploitation

Romance scammers follow a predictable behavioural cycle: