The good news? With a little awareness, you can protect both your heart and your finances. Here’s what to keep in mind to stay safe while exploring love online. 

Common romance scams to watch out for

Romance scams can affect anyone looking for genuine connections, and they’re often cleverly designed to exploit trust and emotions. Here are a few common tactics to be aware of: 

• Promises of a future together: Scammers often build trust by painting a picture of a loving future. Over time, they may ask for financial help, like covering visa costs, medical bills or resolving supposed legal issues, playing on your emotions to make the request feel genuine.
• Joint investment opportunities: Scammers may use phrases like ‘Let’s invest together and retire early’ to make their plans sound appealing and well thought out. By promising shared success and financial freedom, they try to win your trust and encourage you to part with your money. 
• Fake emergencies: Scammers may claim they’re stuck overseas or dealing with a frozen account, asking you to send money, sometimes from your super. These stories can sound convincing and urgent, making you feel pressured to help fast. Taking a moment to pause and check can make all the difference. 

Spotting the signs of a romance scam

Spotting the signs of a romance scam early can protect you from a lot of emotional stress and financial loss. Here are a few red flags to watch out for:  

• Fast-tracked feelings: If someone you’ve just met online starts saying they’re in love or expressing strong feelings very quickly, it’s worth taking a step back. It might feel flattering, but scammers often use this type of tactic to build trust before asking for something.  
• Avoiding face-to-face contact: If the person you’re chatting with always has a reason they can’t meet in person or they won’t jump on a video call, that’s a red flag. Genuine connections usually welcome face-to-face chats, whereas scammers often go out of their way to avoid showing their real face or identity.  
• Requests for money or investments: If someone starts asking for money or suggests investing together, it’s a strong sign that something’s not right. Scammers often produce emotional stories, like unexpected hospital bills or personal emergencies, to make their requests feel urgent and believable.   
• Chatting about complex finances: If the conversation suddenly shifts to things like retirement savings, cryptocurrency, or big financial transactions, be cautious. These topics can be used to manipulate or pressure you into making decisions that aren’t in your best interest. Scammers may also seek to list themselves as a beneficiary to your super or insurance.  

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Steps to protect yourself 

Taking a few simple steps can go a long way in protecting yourself from romance scams, especially when connecting with someone online. Here’s how to stay safe while protecting your heart and finances. 

• Pace yourself: It’s exciting to meet someone new, but if things start moving fast, like constant messages or big declarations, it’s ok to slow things down. Scammers often try to rush the relationship to build trust quickly.  
• Keep your money safe: No matter how close you feel to someone, never send money or share your personal, financial, or super details with someone you’ve never met face-to-face.  
• Seek advice: If something doesn’t feel right, talk it over with a trusted friend or family member. An outside perspective can help you spot things you might have missed. There’s also support and resources at Scamwatch, IDCare and eSafety for you to refer to for support. 
• Be wary of money talk: If the conversation starts drifting into investments or financial help, take a step back and think it through carefully. 
• Verify their story: You can use online search tools like reverse image search (e.g. Google Images) to check if the photos they’ve shared appear elsewhere online. Often, scammers use stolen photos from social media or stock photo sites to build fake profiles. If the same photo shows up under different names or locations, that’s a major red flag.  

What to do if you suspect a scam

If something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts. If you think you may have been targeted by a scam, please call 1800 005 166 straight away or email [email protected] – we’re here to help.

Looking for love online can be a rewarding experience, but staying alert and informed helps protect both your heart and wallet. Remember, true relationships are built on trust and honesty, not urgency and secrecy. Stay savvy, trust your gut, and enjoy the journey safely!  

This is general information only and doesn’t take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision about CareSuper, you should consider if this information is right for you. 

We're giving you this information in good faith. It comes from sources we think are reliable and helpful. However, we can't guarantee its accuracy and take no responsibility for this content, including any errors or omissions.