Guard Your Heart: A GASA Valentine’s Special on Romance Scams

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.

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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.

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Feb 26, 2026

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Romance scams continue to grow worldwide, exploiting trust, emotional vulnerability, and online relationships to manipulate victims into financial and emotional harm. Timed around Brazil’s Valentine’s Day period, the latest GASA meet-up, Golpes do Amor — Como eles acontecem e como se proteger, explored how these scams operate, why they are so effective, and how individuals can better recognise warning signs before becoming victims. Hosted by the Brazil Chapter of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), the discussion highlighted findings from O Estado dos Golpes no Brasil. According to the report, romance scams have already affected 18 per cent of surveyed Brazilian adults, while 6 per cent of victims reported falling for this type of scam more than once. Beyond financial losses, speakers emphasised the severe emotional consequences victims often experience, including shame, trauma, and loss of trust. Read the Report – O Estado dos Golpes no Brasil Speakers: Rose Leonel, Journalist and Founder – ONG Marias da Internet Tanila Savoy, Founder – Associação Nacional de Vítimas da Internet (ANVINT) Lisandréa Salvariego Colabuono, Police Chief and Coordinator – NOAD, Polícia Civil de São Paulo Renata Salvini, Brazil Chapter Director – Global Anti-Scam Alliance A major focus of the discussion was the manipulation techniques commonly used in romance scams. Speakers explained how scammers frequently create convincing identities, often pretending to be foreigners, military personnel, or individuals living abroad, while avoiding in-person meetings and building emotional dependency over time. Urgency and financial pressure were highlighted as major warning signs, particularly when victims are pushed to act quickly or send money under emotional circumstances. The webinar also explored the lasting psychological impact of these crimes and reinforced that victims should never be blamed. Rose Leonel shared her personal story of transforming trauma into advocacy after becoming a victim of non-consensual intimate image sharing, an experience that ultimately contributed to the creation of the Rose Leonel Law in Brazil. Speakers stressed the importance of reporting scams, noting that even small details can assist investigations and help prevent future victims. The conversation reinforced the need for greater public awareness, victim support, and collaboration between civil society, law enforcement, and digital platforms to address emotionally manipulative fraud more effectively. Through initiatives like this meet-up, GASA continues working with experts and organisations worldwide to strengthen scam prevention and support victims of online fraud. Watch the full discussion below to learn how individuals and organisations can better recognise and respond to romance scams.

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