High severityRomance / Social Engineering
Long-Con Romance Scams on Dating & Social Apps
Updated June 14, 2026
A patient scammer builds an online relationship over weeks or months before requesting money for an 'emergency.'
Warning signs
- The person avoids video calls or always has an excuse not to meet in person.
- Profile photos appear professionally shot or reverse-image-search to unrelated identities.
- A financial 'emergency' or investment opportunity eventually comes up.
What to do
- Never send money, gift cards, or crypto to someone you haven't met in person.
- Do a reverse image search on profile photos before trusting them.
- Talk to a friend or family member about the relationship before making any financial decision.
These scams often run for months, and victims frequently don't realize the relationship was fabricated until well after money changes hands.
If you believe you're a victim, stop contact immediately, preserve message records, and report to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov).
This write-up is an educational summary of a known scam pattern, not a real-time threat alert, and does not name any specific Augusta-area victim, business, or law enforcement case.