Over the past five years, nearly €7 million has been taken from individuals in Ireland through what is known as romance fraud, according to Gardaí, reports The Mirror.
Most of the people targeted in these scams were women, who were deceived into giving away their savings.
In 2024 alone, authorities investigated 70 such incidents—nearly twice as many as in 2023—resulting in €1.5 million being cruelly stolen, reports The Mirror.
Figures also show that the average financial loss per case since 2020 stands at €28,500.
Among the worst-hit victims was a woman who lost €450,000 across 18 separate transfers, while one man was defrauded of €380,000.
Gardaí have raised concerns about the increasing prevalence of these scams and have urged the public to be very wary before giving money to anyone they meet online, reports The Mirror.
They specifically advised people to stay alert to scammers who target users on dating platforms.
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Gardai warned: “Typically fraudsters use someone else’s photos to set up a fake profile on a dating app, social media platform or online dating site to identify potential victims. They will then target and groom over a sustained period of time in an effort to extract money from them. Their profile usually depicts a person that has a reputable job, is often based in a fictitious location that has poor phone network or internet connection. For instance they are working on an offshore oil rig, as an aid worker, a humanitarian doctor or as a soldier in a war-torn country,” reports The Mirror.
According to Gardaí, scammers often make contact through dating apps or social networks, then persuade their target to continue chatting through direct messages, texts, or email.
These criminals usually say the right things, as they often rely on well-crafted scripts.
A Garda spokesman said: ”Their background may seem legitimate. They will usually claim to have been married and are now widowed or divorced, have grown up adult children and are seeking a platonic relationship. The requests for money start small initially, they may even pay these small sums back as a way to build trust. In time, the requests will increase in amounts and before a victim necessarily realises it they’re being pressured to hand over funds to cover anything from medical bills, custom duties to purchasing flights and a visa. The fraudster is likely to be fooling more than tone victim at any given time,” reports The Mirror.
Authorities added that in some cases, the scammer may disguise their request as a financial opportunity, such as an investment.
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