Romance scams, particularly online, are a growing concern as victims like Laura Kowal and Kelly Kowal's mother have lost millions to scammers. The scams, involving sophisticated tactics and deepfake technologies, have led to significant financial losses and even mysterious deaths. Law enforcement struggles to catch these con artists, creating a legal minefield for investigators. The FBI reports substantial losses in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware due to romance scams, highlighting the widespread impact of this issue.
As romance scammers turn dating apps into "hunting grounds," critics look to Match Group to do more https://t.co/yfHWXJIYkt
The CBS Investigates team has learned online romance scams are becoming all too common, and @TimMcNicholas has found some people are getting hit with a one-two punch. https://t.co/ts3JmdY05k
Romance scams ensnare thousands of Americans each year. The I-Team speaks with a former scammer to find out how it all works and why these cons are getting harder to spot! Tonight at 10:00 on #CBSNewsTexas MORE: https://t.co/KI1Ni43aTg https://t.co/dWfPgUbkhj
Romance scams are on the rise. Here are the telltale signs π¨π¨π¨ #SecurityFirstAlwaysz https://t.co/9ToU0fOWgo
The FBI says 970 people across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware lost more than $33 million after being victimized in a romance scam last year. https://t.co/eTmoT59j8z
πΊπΈDEEPFAKE "KEANU REEVES SCAM" FBI stats show 19,000 Americans were duped by deepfake romance scams last year, totaling $1.3 billion in losses. A 65-year-old from Colorado fell victim to a sophisticated "Keanu Reeves Scam," where scammers used AI and deepfake technologies toβ¦ https://t.co/f42J1w96Mj
Romance scammers turn victims into "money mules," creating a legal minefield for investigators https://t.co/LCvc9Sw7bH
Laura Kowal's match on an online dating site wasn't what he seemed. Now her daughter is on a mission to expose the risk of romance scams: "It could happen to anybody." https://t.co/Jx0IE9oloK
Had fun working on this story for CBS 2 Chicago and investigative reporter @LaurenVictory on how #AI plays a factor in romance scams: https://t.co/DBv8AXujYy
When her mother went missing, an Illinois woman ventured into the dark corners of America's romance scam epidemic https://t.co/be7uUYU6hM
When her mother went missing, an Illinois woman ventured into the dark corners of America's romance scam epidemic. https://t.co/3ywCtSM2qQ
Kelly Kowal is seeking answers after her widowed mother, Laura, fell victim to a $1.5 million online romance scam before her mysterious death. A CBS News investigation into the nation's romance scam epidemic suggests law enforcement is struggling to catch these con artists. https://t.co/m86szMCgB2
MORE: "They took so much away from me. They took everything away from her." Kelly Kowal's mother died with her savings gone after meeting an online dating scammer. Kelly suspects foul play, while experts warn this is part of a hidden national crisis. https://t.co/dkskrbmZx9 https://t.co/Sq2TBgNHj9
βI know there's a lot of people out there saying, how could that happen?β Kelly Kowalβs mom, Laura Kowal lost $1.5M to online romance scammers before her mysterious death. A year-long CBS News investigation suggests law enforcement is struggling to catch these con artists. https://t.co/pC6ITqemoA
Romance scams are becoming more sophisticated than ever before - and Pennsylvania and New Jersey have some of the worst numbers. @LizCrawfordNews took a deep dive into the threat of romance scams in the Philadelphia area. https://t.co/eTmoT59j8z
"He wasn't a stranger at that point." "Sue," a retiree speaking under a pseudonym, told CBS News she fell victim to a romance scammer on a dating app, losing her home and nearly $2.5 million. Don't miss the four-part Investigation "Anything for Love." https://t.co/brFvukKHxt https://t.co/6fzFSXsFzM
Laura Kowal lost $1.5 million to online romance scammers before her tragic and mysterious death. A CBS News investigation reveals that law enforcement isn't keeping up with these scams. @JimAxelrod examines the growing romance scam epidemic. https://t.co/suEyZbjpyi https://t.co/NX08BNx9v1
βDating apps once looked like the foundation of American romance,β @loracorkelley writes. βNow the cracks are starting to show.β https://t.co/JL3KZUp8YU
"You need to be very good at building the trust." A year-long CBS News investigation found experts believe law enforcement isn't keeping pace with romance scammers. @JimAxelrod speaks to a former scammer in this four-part series starting TOMORROW. https://t.co/k4tL2M7LGl https://t.co/5Nk4Ex8vwh
Romance scammers are now building trust with AI-generated deepfakes. Here's how to spot them. https://t.co/LSXEy0FPlX