Swindled by a sweetheart

Romance fraud is run by cybercriminals often prepared to be patient they can groom their victims for years. And business is booming.

- NICOLA FIELD

Romance scams cost Australians $142 million in 2021, and the number is rising. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scam watch received 3699 reports of dating rip offs in 2022, up from 3400 in 2021. It is one of several agencies that monitors scams.

Despite this, more than 2.6 million Australians use online dating and a study by Monash University estimates that by 2040 it will be our go-to way of meeting a life partner.

Online dating has plenty of success stories. A survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) found 12% of respondents had been in a committed relationship with someone they met online, a figure that climbs to 50% of millennials and LGBTQ+ respondents.

Nonetheless, connecting with a stranger carries risks. Among younger online daters, unwanted attention from potential suitors can be a more pressing concern than losing money to scammers.

Blessica, 29, who prefers to use only her first name, says: “One of the downsides [of online dating] is when you match with someone and they hunt you down on social media, and start messaging you on Instagram instead of Tinder. It’s crossing a boundary that feels uncomfortable. I have quite a unique name, so it’s easy to find me. I don’t find it too threatening – more annoying, and some people can be very persistent.

“You can always set your [social media] profile to private, but having your Instagram linked can help people get a better feel for who you are, so it’s a toss up.”