Romance Scammers Tell the Sweetest of Lies: When Love Songs and Big Promises Lead to Real Loss

Romance scammers don’t sound suspicious, at first. Their victims feel comfort, love and support.  Sometimes, they even sound like a love song you’ve known by heart for years.

That’s what makes these scams so effective. The lies aren’t outrageous. They echo promises we’ve heard many times before, whether on the radio, in movies, or in relationships we hoped would last.

Around Valentine’s Day, those promises can land even harder.

Here are some of the sweetest lies romance scammers tell, and how fake love turns into real loss.

“A full commitment's what I'm thinking of. Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you”

Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up

Many romance scams often begin with consistency. Messages every morning. Long conversations at night. The sense that someone is always there, listening, caring, and choosing you.

That steady presence builds trust fast. In her interviews with Bitdefender, Ayleen Charlotte, whose story inspired The Tinder Swindler series on Netflix, described how emotional reliability came before manipulation. The attention felt real. The connection felt safe.

But the promise of “never letting you down” quietly changes once money enters the picture. Emergencies appear. Accounts are suddenly frozen. A temporary setback just needs a little help.

And when the money stops, so does the devotion.

“I’ll be your hope, I’ll be your love, be everything that you need.”

Savage Garden – Truly Madly Deeply

This is the lie of emotional replacement.

Romance scammers don’t just offer affection — they offer to fill gaps. Loneliness. Grief. Uncertainty. They present themselves as the person who will always show up, always understand, and always know the right thing to say.

In cases involving elderly victims, families often describe how scammers slowly replaced real-world support systems, becoming the primary source of comfort, reassurance, and validation.

Bitdefender has also reported on romance scams involving fabricated royalty and high-status personas, including a fake Dubai crown prince, where emotional dependency played a key role in prolonged financial loss.

Once someone positions themselves as “everything you need,” questioning them starts to feel like risking emotional collapse.

“I don’t want to miss a thing.”

Aerosmith – I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing

Romance scammers don’t just want affection — they want attention. Constantly.

They message throughout the day. They worry if you don’t reply quickly. Silence is framed as danger: Are you okay? I was so worried. I thought something happened.

This nonstop contact creates emotional dependency. In many reported cases, especially involving older adults, the scammer becomes the most present voice in the victim’s life, even more consistent than friends or family.

Recent studies also show how AI is now powering romance baiting scams, allowing criminals to maintain this constant presence at scale using convincing messages, voices, and even fake video interactions.

“Quit playing games with my heart.”

Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)

This is where manipulation turns inward.

When victims start asking questions about money, travel delays, or inconsistencies, scammers often flip the script. Doubt becomes betrayal. Concern becomes cruelty.

Why don’t you trust me?
After everything we’ve shared?
You’re hurting me by questioning this.

Ayleen Charlotte described how quickly responsibility can shift onto the victim, making them feel guilty for noticing red flags. This emotional reversal keeps people invested long after something feels wrong — and makes walking away feel like causing harm instead of preventing it.

Bonus Lie: “I Am a Celebrity”

Some romance scammers borrow famous faces.

Recent reports show victims convinced they were in relationships with Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, a fake Dubai prince, or Martin Henderson, losing hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions in the process. In some cases, AI-generated images, voices, or messages made the deception even more convincing.

Celebrity romance scams work because fame replaces credibility. If the person feels extraordinary, the relationship must be real. And when a well-known name promises love, attention, and a shared future, the fantasy can overpower logic.

How to Stay Safe from Romance Scams

Romance scams don’t just take money. They steal your time, trust, and the belief that connection is safe. Around Valentine’s Day, when love is idealized and loneliness feels louder, those lies can cut deeper than ever.

Here are a few grounded habits that can make a real difference:

• Slow things down. Scammers push emotional intensity early. Real relationships don’t require urgency.
• Be wary of constant contact. If someone demands your attention or guilt-trips you for being unavailable, that’s a red flag.
• Never send money or financial details to someone you haven’t met in real life, no matter how convincing their story sounds.
• Question emotional pressure. Love doesn’t punish doubt or demand secrecy.
• Talk to someone you trust. A second perspective can cut through emotional fog quickly.
• Use tools that help you verify, not guess. Scam-detection services like Scamio can help identify fake links and potential red flags before things escalate.