100 Most Common Romance Scam Photos Revealed Ahead of Valentine’s Day

Catfishing” is growing at an unprecedented rate across the United States and is leaving more victims than ever penniless and heartbroken. 

Americans lost a record $1.3 billion to romance scams in 2022 up from $547 million in 2021.  The FBI and the FTC typically release the 2023 numbers in February and March each year and the losses are again expected to skyrocket. 

Catfishing, otherwise known as romance scams, is when a scammer creates a fake online identity in order to trick someone into a romantic or social relationship. Once a bond of love has been formed, they begin asking for money and will leave the victim broke and homeless unless if they are not caught. 

The majority of romance scams take place on online dating sites or social media platforms. The primary reason romance scams are reaching crisis levels, is because scammers create fake accounts using stolen photos. They often use photos of attractive and successful looking people but to make it more plausible they also will use photos of average looking people.

The photos and videos are stolen off of someone else’s social media account, are a stock image, or are stolen from a popular social media influencer or celebrity who has countless pictures online. 

In late 2023, a romance scammer from Nigeria stole photos from handsome ‘Stranger Things’ actor Dacre Montgomery and used them to scam a single mom from Kentucky out of $10,000.  The celebrity romance scam was chronicled on Social Catfish’s popular YouTube show ‘Catfished’. 

With the meteoric rise of artificial intelligence, scammers are even creating photos for nefarious purposes and have grown quite savvy. If they find out someone has been recently widowed, they may even find or create photos that look like the late spouse and target the widow. 

3 Tips to Spot Fake Photos

1. Perform a Reverse Image Search: To perform a Reverse Image Search, simply upload the photo of the person to verify their identity. For instance, if the person calls themselves Eric, but the photo comes up in 50 other accounts all using different names, this is a romance scammer.
   
2. Photos of Famous People: If the person you are speaking with online is using photos and claiming to be a famous celebrity, this is a scam.
   
3. Too Good to be True: If the person seems too good to be true, is super attractive, rich and seems to live an extraordinarily lifestyle, it is best to proceed with extreme caution.

100 MOST-USED PHOTOS BY ROMANCE SCAMMERS IN 2024

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Tips to Avoid Romance Scams

Romance scams can happen to anyone, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of falling victim to one. 

• Before entering a romantic relationship with someone online conduct a reverse image search to confirm their true identity.

• Research them thoroughly using search engines and social media to verify their identity and be cautious if you cannot find any information about them.

• If someone you have just met online asks for money, be wary. Do not send money or provide financial information to anyone you have not met in person and built a trusting relationship with.

• Scammers often initiate contact out of the blue, so be wary of messages or emails from people you don’t know. Be particularly cautious if the message is overly flattering or if they quickly profess their love for you.

• Scammers often avoid meeting in person, so make sure you meet your potential partner face-to-face before getting too invested in the relationship. Meeting in person will also allow you to assess their true identity and intentions.

• If something feels too good to be true or doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts. Scammers often use emotional manipulation to gain their victims’ trust, so be cautious of anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable.

• If you use dating sites, make sure they are reputable and trustworthy. Check the site’s safety guidelines and security features and be cautious of anyone who asks you to use a different platform or website to communicate with them.

5 Steps to Take If You Have Been Scammed

Discovering that you have been the victim of a romance scam can be a traumatic experience, but it’s essential to take action quickly to minimize the damage. 

• Report the Scam to the Authorities: File a report with your local law enforcement agency, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). 

• Cease all Communication with the Scammer:Once you have identified that you have been scammed, do not respond to any further messages or calls, and block them on all platforms. If you have sent money, don’t send any more.

• Protect Your Identity: Scammers may have collected personal information about you during the scam, so take steps to protect your identity. Change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication on all your accounts. Monitor your bank accounts and credit cards for any unusual activity.

• Get Help and Support: Being a victim of a romance scam can be a traumatic and humiliating experience. Most victims never come forward and without seeking help many commit suicide.  Seek help from family, friends, or a professional counselor. Don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed to talk about what happened; remember that you are not alone.

• Be Cautious: Often the same victim gets scammed multiple times. Once a person has been scammed, scammers know they are susceptible so they will approach them in multiple places and ways. It is important to stop giving money and personal information to anyone online that you have never met.