Date of Event:
20 February 2026
Event:
GASA Meet-Up
Romance scams are one of the most emotionally destructive forms of fraud, causing not only financial loss but long-term psychological harm. In Guard Your Heart , GASA Asia-Pacific convened experts to examine how romance scams operate, why their impact extends beyond money, and what coordinated action is required to prevent and disrupt them.
Hosted by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) Asia-Pacific, the session focused on practical disruption, responsible platform safeguards, and trauma-informed recovery. The discussion reinforced that romance scams sit at the intersection of technology, finance, platforms, and mental health, requiring cross-sector collaboration rather than isolated responses.
Speakers
Adinova Fauri , Researcher – Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia
Jayde Richmond , General Manager – National Anti-Scam Centre, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Dr Kate Gould , Clinical Neuropsychologist & Senior Research Fellow – Monash University
Kenna Seagris t, Sr. Manager, Trust & Safety Operations – Match Group
Brian Hanley , Director, Asia Pacific – Global Anti-Scam Alliance (Moderator)
Speakers outlined how romance scams typically begin on dating or social platforms before quickly moving to private messaging channels. Scammers escalate emotional intensity, build dependency, and eventually request funds under the guise of emergencies, travel expenses, or investment opportunities. Increasingly, criminal networks are deploying AI-generated identities and sophisticated payment channels, including cryptocurrency, to enhance credibility and scale operations.
The discussion highlighted that vulnerability is not confined to one demographic group. Younger dating app users, older individuals, and highly educated professionals are all targeted. From an operational standpoint, Australia’s Romance Scam Fusion Cell demonstrated how banks, cryptocurrency exchanges, law enforcement, and platforms can share de-identified risk signals to interrupt financial flows and disrupt scam networks.
Speakers also emphasised the importance of stigma reduction, frontline response guidance, and trauma-informed care to support victims who often experience shame, isolation, and long-term psychological harm.
The meet-up concluded with a clear call for stronger public–private partnerships, responsible AI deployment, cross-border cooperation, and victim-centred recovery frameworks to address the growing complexity of romance scams.
Watch the full discussion below to learn how Asia-Pacific leaders are strengthening their defences against romance scams.
GASA Mexico Shares Scam Prevention Tips During the 2026 FIFA World Cup
GASA Mexico shares practical advice for football fans on avoiding ticketing, travel, phishing and payment scams during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Watch the Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2026 Session Recordings
Watch keynotes, panels, workshops, working group sessions and Scam Fighter Awards recordings from the Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2026 in Lisbon.
.jpg)
Public-Private Partnerships in Action: Key Takeaways From the Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2026
Key takeaways from the Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2026 on how public-private partnerships can strengthen scam prevention, intelligence sharing, regulation and victim protection.
Nomorobo Joins Scam.org to Shield Consumers from Fraudulent Calls and Texts
Nomorobo has joined Scam.org as a member partner, bringing call and text blocking technology into the platform to help consumers protect themselves from fraudulent communications.
Scams Continue to Rise in Germany: Two in Three Adults Encountered a Scam in the Past Year
The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), in collaboration with Worldline, has released the State of Scams Germany 2026 Report.
Anatomy of an Investment/Crypto Scam
On 21 May, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) hosted a webinar bringing together leading voices from the crypto industry, law enforcement, compliance, and civil society.
ICC and GASA Publish Best Practices Framework for Combating Scam Advertising
ICC and GASA have published a best practices framework for combating scam advertising, focusing on risk-based verification, transparency, reporting and collaboration.
Scams Surge Across the U.S.: 82% of Adults Targeted as Engagement and Losses Continue to Rise
The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), in collaboration with Iris® Powered by Generali, has released the State of Scams USA 2026 Report.