Date of Event: 26–27 March 2025
Event: Global Anti-Scam Summit London 2025
In one of the most emotionally resonant sessions of the summit, author Becky Holmes closed Day 1 with a deeply personal yet sharply critical talk on romance fraud. What began as a humorous look at social media scammers quickly evolved into a compelling argument for reframing how society views and supports victims.
Holmes recounted how lockdown boredom and a wave of fake profiles on Twitter led her to start engaging with scammers—an experience that later formed the basis of her book Keanu Reeves Is Not in Love with You . Her light-hearted “scambaiting” posts gained popularity, but also brought her into contact with real victims of romance fraud, many of whom had never shared their experiences before.
Through stories of women like Franchesca, Sue, and a couple misidentified as criminals by their own bank, Holmes laid bare the devastating psychological impact of romance scams. She critiqued the failure of institutions—from banks to ombudsmen—to provide timely and compassionate support, often leaving victims to battle shame, debt, and disbelief alone.
Drawing parallels between romance fraud and coercive control in abusive relationships, Holmes dismantled myths about gullibility and called for urgent improvements in victim support. She stressed that scams exploit fundamental human needs—love, trust, and connection—and that language like “falling for a scam” only reinforces blame. Her talk ended with a powerful reminder: the common denominator among victims is not stupidity, but kindness.
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