Romance fraud, also known as a romance scam, is a particular type of cybercrime in which fraudsters build fake romantic personas, establish trust and affection with the victim, and then exploit them for money or personal information. These fraudsters often connect through dating apps or social media, building emotional intimacy over time. Once trust is established, they fabricate urgent stories, such as needing funds for travel, or medical emergencies, to manipulate victims into sending money. Most scammers use stolen photos and avoid meeting in person or on video calls, citing excuses like being stationed abroad or facing technical issues.

Some of the common forms of romance scams include the following: love bombing, which involves smothering victims with affection to create dependence before requesting money; blackmail, whereby fraudsters demand money from victims in exchange for not releasing private images or information; pro-daters who meet victims in person, only to make them spend excessively on trips and dinners; impersonations of military personnel, whereby fraudsters pretend they need money because they are serving abroad; inheritance scams, which involve the victim's paying for fees in order to secure an inheritance that is non-existent; verification code scams, where malware steals personal data through a fake login link or infected website.