Online Romance Fraud

This highly damaging type of romance fraud involves scammers convincing victims to "invest" substantial sums of money into seemingly legitimate cryptocurrency platforms or complex trading schemes, often called "pig butchering." These investment platforms are typically completely fabricated or entirely controlled by the scammer, operating solely as a front to steal the capital; this manipulation results in swift and irreversible financial losses once money is transferred and the criminal promptly disappears. Scammers exploit the victim's trust, built through the fake relationship, to encourage them to deposit increasingly larger sums.

A prevalent and emotionally destructive method of romance fraud involves offenders using stolen photos and fabricated identities to build deep emotional relationships online, known as catfishing. Victims are then expertly drawn into conversations that eventually pivot abruptly to urgent financial “help” requests, often falsely justified by highly dramatic narratives like sudden health emergencies, unexpected military crises, or business failures in distant countries, thus exploiting the deep emotional bond they have manufactured. Scammers frequently use inconsistent stories or refuse video calls to maintain the illusion and isolate the victim from friends who might recognize the warning signs of romance fraud.

• New York Penal Law § 155.30 (Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree): Applicable when the value stolen through romance fraud exceeds $1,000, punishable by up to 4 years in state prison.
• Penal Law § 190.65 (Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree): Covers recurring deceptive practices affecting more than one person; a Class D felony carrying a maximum sentence of up to 7 years imprisonment.
• Penal Law § 190.77–81 (Identity Theft): Charges may be filed if impersonation was involved in the Online Romance Fraud, especially using forged documentation or stolen third-party identification details.

Once suspicion arises regarding the sincerity of the online relationship or if financial requests begin, the victim must immediately and completely cease all communication with the suspected fraudster and block them across all digital platforms. Victims must not provide any additional personal or financial information, even under emotional pressure. They should immediately begin preserving all digital evidence related to the pervasive romance fraud. Retaining clear screenshots of all messages, social media profiles, payment receipts, and cryptocurrency wallet addresses will serve as critical and admissible evidence in investigations.

Victims of Online Romance Fraud should promptly file a formal complaint with the New York Police Department (NYPD) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and should also file a detailed report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to initiate a full criminal inquiry. Additionally, it is essential to immediately contact your personal bank, credit card companies, and any cryptocurrency exchange platforms used in the scam to request immediate transaction reversals, account freezing, or card cancellation to mitigate any ongoing financial losses. Informing the social media platform where the initial contact occurred is also an important step to help protect other potential victims.