Love, Lust, or Bust: The Ultimate Global Romance Safety Hub
Every website, organization, book, podcast, YouTube channel, documentary, and tool you need — all in one place. Because knowledge is your greatest protection.
Red Flags to Recognize Immediately
Overwhelming affection, "soulmate" language, and declarations of love within days of first contact.
Endless excuses — oil rig, military deployment, working abroad, medical emergency, stuck at customs.
Pushes immediately to WhatsApp, Telegram, Google Chat or personal email to avoid platform monitoring.
Any request for money, gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Any story, any reason. Never send it.
Model-quality images with inconsistent backgrounds. Always reverse image search profile photos immediately.
Frozen feeds, grainy images, always a "bad connection," or excuses to avoid live face-to-face video.
Untraceable payment methods are a universal, non-negotiable scam signal. Zero exceptions.
Job, location, family situation and personal details shift and contradict over time.
Discourages you from discussing the relationship with people who know and love you.
Introduces a trading platform, crypto app, or investment scheme after gaining your trust. Called "Pig Butchering."
Fake military personas are extremely common. Real deployed service members do not ask you for money or gift cards.
If a celebrity slides into your DMs claiming to be in love — it's a scammer. Keith Urban, Keanu Reeves, Brad Pitt do not want to date you online.
Where & How to Report
FBI Internet Crime Center (IC3)
The primary US government portal for reporting cyber-enabled fraud. Reports feed directly into federal investigations and national crime statistics.
FTC Report Fraud
The Federal Trade Commission's consumer fraud reporting portal. Works closely with law enforcement to protect consumers. Quick and straightforward.
Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker
Free crowdsourced scam map. Report any scam regardless of whether you lost money — it warns others in your community about active threats.
Chainabuse — Crypto Fraud
If you were scammed via cryptocurrency, Chainabuse is the leading global reporting platform for malicious crypto activity. Works with law enforcement on fund recovery.
Your Bank — Do This First
Contact your bank or wire transfer service immediately. The faster you call, the better the chance of recovering funds. Ask for the fraud department specifically.
SCARS Global Reporting
SCARS Institute distributes cybercrime data to agencies worldwide. Reporting here reaches international law enforcement channels beyond the US.
VSAFE — Veterans Portal
VA-partnered reporting portal specifically for veterans targeted by romance scams and military impersonators. Includes a full anti-scam toolkit.
Action Fraud (UK)
The UK's national reporting center for fraud and cybercrime. Excellent resources and reporting tools for women in the UK or defrauded by UK-linked operations.
Scamwatch (Australia)
Run by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission. Excellent global scam trend data and reporting portal for Australia, New Zealand, and international cases.
Organizations & Support Networks
SCARS — Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams
Global nonprofit with nearly 30 years of experience. Provides professional crime victim assistance, education, trauma recovery, and worldwide advocacy. Runs the free Scam Survivors' School.
Advocating Against Romance Scammers (AARS)
Founded by Kathy Waters & Bryan Denny. Advocates with lawmakers, supports identity theft victims whose photos are stolen by scammers. Founded World Romance Scam Prevention Day (October 3 annually). Extensive resource library.
Cybercrime Support Network (CSN)
Offers a free 10-week counselor-led recovery program for romance scam and crypto fraud survivors. Private ongoing support community. Co-funded by the FINRA Foundation.
AARP Fraud Watch Network
Free helpline (877-908-3360) staffed by trained fraud specialists. Free online group support sessions, award-winning podcast, and comprehensive guides. For members and non-members alike.
Catch the Catfish & LoveSaid
Two nonprofits founded by catfish survivor Anna Rowe. Supports victims of emotional fraud and love bombing, assists up to 100 people per week. Advocates for legislation on non-financial romance scams.
Global Cyber Alliance
Free Cybersecurity Toolkit with vetted resources on romance scam prevention. Excellent, clear guides on scammer psychology, love bombing, and protecting your digital life.
FINRA Foundation
Assists investment and romance fraud victims. Offers Victim Recovery Checklists, mental health partnerships with Give an Hour, and financial literacy resources for those scammed via investment schemes.
Scam Survivor Healing — Cathy Wilson, LPC
Licensed professional counselor Cathy Wilson offers resources, online video courses, and an online support group specifically for scam survivors. Author of The Emotional Impact of Being Scammed and How to Recover.
The Psychology of Fraud Victimization
Nonprofit focused on improving fraud victims' access to mental health support. Dedicated to understanding and addressing the psychological dimensions of scam victimization.
Global Anti-Scam Organization (GASO)
Volunteer-run group focused on Pig Butchering scams — long-term romance and investment fraud. Excellent community resources and documented case database.
National Elder Fraud Hotline
US Dept. of Justice hotline for elder fraud victims. Staffed by professionals who assign a personal case manager. Available Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm EST. English, Spanish, and other languages.
Victim Connect Resource Center
Helps victims of crime learn about their rights with understanding and care. Offers direct referral services, legal resources, and compassionate navigation assistance.
Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC)
AARS partner — live chat in English and Spanish during business hours for identity theft victims. Scammers frequently steal both money and identity. ITRC helps with recovery planning.
Fortress Forensic Investigation (FFI)
Provides justice for at-risk victims of financial exploitation through experienced evidence analysis and forensic investigations. Useful if pursuing legal action.
Investigation & Verification Tools
Google Reverse Image Search
Right-click any profile photo and select "Search image." If the same face appears across multiple profiles with different names, you have found a catfish. The fastest free tool available.
TinEye Reverse Image Search
Tracks where and when a photo has appeared online. Excellent for detecting stolen social media photos used in fake profiles. Often finds results Google misses.
Social Catfish
Reverse phone lookup, reverse image search, facial recognition, and dating profile search. Used by investigators. Helps verify if someone online is who they claim to be.
FaceCheck.id — AI Face Search
AI-powered facial recognition search engine. See if a "partner's" photo appears on scam registries, news stories, or other profiles online. Extremely useful for new contacts.
ScamAdviser — Website Trust Checker
Enter any URL to get a trust score, domain age, and red flags. Essential when someone sends you a link to a trading platform, investment app, or visa processing site.
Who.is — Domain Age Checker
Check when any website was registered. If a "visa service," "investment firm," or "dating platform" was created three weeks ago — it's a red flag. Scam sites are usually brand new.
Scam Ranger — Message Checker
Paste a message you think may have been sent by a scammer. Scam Ranger's AI analyzes the text and rates it as low, medium, or high risk. Great for checking suspicious first-contact messages.
Catch — Scam Detection App
Scam detection technology for individuals and families that stops scams at the point of contact. Combines tech-based detection with community scam education and training.
Truecaller — Phone Number Lookup
Globally-used reverse phone lookup tool. Identifies unknown callers and flags known scam numbers based on millions of community reports. Works worldwide.
IdentityTheft.gov
If you shared your passport, SSN, or ID with a "visa agent" or "romantic partner," use this US government site to create a personalized recovery plan and dispute fraudulent accounts.
BBB Scam Survival Toolkit
Available in English, Spanish, and French. Helps victims understand what happened, build a recovery plan, and save it as a shareable PDF. A gentle, supportive healing tool.
Documentaries & Films
The Tinder Swindler
Con man Simon Leviev posed as a billionaire diamond heir on Tinder, swindling multiple women out of hundreds of thousands. Called "the Jaws of internet dating documentaries." Essential viewing — the film that made the world take romance fraud seriously.
Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare
British radio presenter Kirat Assi was catfished for nearly a decade by her own cousin, who created and managed up to 60 fake profiles. One of the most sophisticated, disturbing catfishing cases ever documented.
Love Con Revenge
Tinder Swindler victim Cecilie Fjellhøy teams up with private investigator Brianne Joseph to hunt active romance scammers and help victims reclaim their lives. A 6-episode series. Premiered September 2025.
Catfish: The Documentary
The film that coined the term and spawned the MTV series. Nev Schulman discovers an elaborate web of fake online identities. Groundbreaking for its time and still deeply compelling.
Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan & Sara
Indie pop star Tegan Quinn's identity was stolen and weaponized in a complex catfishing scheme targeting her fans for over 15 years. Directed by Erin Lee Carr. Devastating and eye-opening.
Love Fraud
Four-part docuseries following Richard Scott Smith, who used multiple fake identities to marry and rob dozens of women. A bounty hunter tracks him down. Gripping and infuriating.
Dirty John: The Dirty Truth
Companion documentary to the hit podcast and TV series about con man John Meehan, who manipulated and exploited women for years. Unpacks the overlooked red flags in emotionally abusive relationships.
Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror
South Korean documentary on the notorious "Nth Room" case — perpetrators blackmailed and exploited women and minors via Telegram. Chilling and important. Strong content warning.
Unknown Number: The High School Catfish
True story of teenagers in Michigan harassed for 15+ months by an anonymous catfisher via text. The community investigation is fascinating. Directed by Skye Borgman. Released August 2025.
Scammed: Getting Even
Trilogy Media confronts romance scammers and money mules in person with law enforcement. Episode 1 is "The Catfish King" — features a mother scammed by someone posing as a doctor. Six episodes.
Meet the Scammers
Four Corners investigation into the people running romance scam operations — who they are, how they operate in organized crime syndicates, and the devastating impact on victims worldwide.
The Invisible Man
W5's investigation into romance fraud, following real victims and the near-impossible challenge of tracking down criminals operating from overseas. Thorough, empathetic journalism.
YouTube Channels
Scammer Payback (Pierogi)
The most popular scam-fighting channel on YouTube. Hacks into scam call centers, reveals scammer faces, and actively prevents victims from being defrauded in real time. Collaborates with Jim Browning and Mark Rober.
Jim Browning
Northern Irish investigator who infiltrates scam call center networks via remote access software. Has hacked CCTV of actual scam operations and exposed them in detail. Groundbreaking investigative journalism on YouTube.
Kitboga
Hilarious comedic scambaiter who wastes hours of scammers' time with elaborate characters, including confused elderly women. Keeps fraudsters busy so they can't target real victims — all while educating millions.
Trilogy Media
Ashton and Art confront romance scammers, money mules, and catfishers in person on camera. Now have their own Fox Nation docuseries. High-octane, satisfying, and educational.
Atomic Shrimp
Thoughtful scambaiter who engages email scammers at extraordinary length. Known for deeply creative, hilarious responses. Excellent psychological analysis of how scammers operate and why their scripts work.
Pleasant Green
Focuses on deeper storytelling around scam cases, understanding scammer motivations, and in-person confrontation videos. Strong coverage of romance and catfish cases with empathy for victims.
Cathy Wilson — Scam Survivor Healing
Licensed counselor Cathy Wilson's video series specifically for scam survivors. Emotional support and recovery guidance from a professional who specializes in fraud trauma. Warm, non-judgmental, essential.
DEYOCLUB
Uses improv comedy and voices characters from around the world to show that scammers target everyone regardless of nationality. Entertaining, educational, and genuinely funny approach to scam awareness.
Podcasts
The Perfect Scam
Award-winning podcast featuring real fraud victims, investigators, and experts. Covers romance scams, catfishing, impersonation, and crypto fraud. Includes a jaw-dropping episode with Scammer Payback's Pierogi.
Sweet Bobby
The award-winning podcast that became the Netflix documentary. Host Alexi Mostrous unravels one of the most complex catfishing cases in history. A masterclass in narrative true crime journalism.
Scammer Stories
Hosted by a daughter who lost her mother to a $350,000 romance scam. Real victim and family stories from the "Scammer Warriors" community. Shocking, emotional, and deeply human. Includes the host's own devastating story.
What the Hack with Adam Levin
Cybersecurity expert Adam Levin breaks down hacks, scams, and fraud in plain language. Covers all types of online fraud including romance scams, with practical guidance anyone can use immediately.
Lurkers
Narrative true-crime covering catfishing, stalking, AI deepfakes, sextortion, and romance-investment scams. Verified cases, immersive sound design. Every episode follows a real case from first contact to real-world impact.
Chameleon
Award-winning limited series covering elaborate scam stories: "Hollywood Con Queen," "Scam Likely," "Gallery of Lies." Each season dissects one extraordinary fraud with cinematic storytelling.
Nickel & Crime
Deep-dives into sophisticated scam psychology and methods — how scammers manipulate billions out of victims every year. Two-time Signal Award winner. Brilliant financial crime storytelling.
Let's Talk About Scams
Broadcast live Tuesdays on K4HD Radio Hollywood. Focuses on protecting the elderly from romance, grandparent, and tech support scams. Practical weekly tips from experts and advocates.
Ex-Wives Undercover
Exposes charming con artists, narcissists, and master manipulators in relationships. Companion to the Paramount+ series "Don't Date Brandon." Deeply validating for women who've been deceived by partners.
Books
Keanu Reeves Is Not in Love With You
Hilarious yet infuriating guide to online romance fraud. Holmes spent years trolling scammers and wasting their time, combining real victim stories with deep scammer psychology. Wildly entertaining non-fiction.
The Emotional Impact of Being Scammed and How to Recover
Written by a licensed professional counselor who specializes in fraud trauma. A compassionate, clinical guide to processing what happened and building a path to recovery. Essential for survivors.
The Psychology of Fraud, Persuasion and Scam Techniques
Academic yet readable deep dive into why intelligent, educated people fall for scams. Examines the psychology of persuasion and manipulation that makes fraud so effective. Written by a leading researcher.
FISHY: Studies in Catfishing and Online Romance Scams
Collection of case studies on how catfish operate — their own words and images, ranging from laughable to deeply exploitative. Essential for recognizing patterns before they happen to you or someone you love.
I'm a Romance Scam IT Detective
Award-winning finalist, 2020 International Book Awards. A financial IT consultant hacks back against her own romance scammer. True cyber crime memoir spanning 7 countries — technical, psychological, and thrilling.
Foolproof: Why We Fall for Misinformation
Two cognitive psychologists explain the 10 features of human psychology that make us vulnerable to cons — with practical tools to spot deception before it's too late. Science-based, highly readable prevention.
Recovery & Mental Health Support
AARP Fraud Watch Helpline
Free, trained fraud specialists available Mon–Fri 8am–8pm ET. Provide support, guidance on next steps, and connect you with resources. For members and non-members. No judgment.
Call Free ↗AARP VOA ReST Program
Free online group support sessions — 1 hour, confidential, led by trained peer facilitators. Helps rebuild trust and resilience. Attend as many sessions as you need via computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Register Free ↗FightCybercrime Recovery Groups
Free 10-week counselor-led support program. One-hour virtual sessions, private community, ongoing help desk support. Specifically designed for romance fraud and crypto scam survivors.
Join Free ↗Scam Survivor Healing — Cathy Wilson LPC
Licensed professional counselor specializing in fraud trauma. Online video courses for survivors, mental health professional training, and a supportive online community. The most compassionate specialist resource available.
Visit ↗SCARS Scam Survivors' School
Free trauma-informed education and recovery program. Understands the unique psychology of romance fraud trauma. Helps victims become survivors through structured, professional-level education.
Enroll Free ↗Give an Hour
Partners with FINRA Foundation to provide free mental health care from a network of volunteer therapists for fraud victims. Addresses the psychological trauma that financial fraud causes, not just the financial loss.
Visit ↗