Romance scam
A manufactured relationship used to extract money through invented emergencies.
A romance scam turns a manufactured relationship into a stream of payments. Using a fake or stolen identity — see catfishing — the fraudster invests real time in winning your affection, then engineers an emergency only you can solve: a medical bill, a stranded trip, a customs charge, a sudden business crisis. Because the feelings are genuine even when the person is not, these scams are among the most damaging financially and emotionally, and victims often defend the fraudster long after the signs are plain.
Typical patterns include declarations of love arriving unusually fast, a reason the relationship must stay secret, a refusal ever to meet or appear on a spontaneous video call, and a first request for money framed as a temporary loan. A newer, colder variant folds in fake investing, known as pig butchering. If money is being asked for, pause and speak to someone you trust before sending anything. Our guide to romance-scam warning signs shows how to test the story gently and step back without cruelty if it fails.