Romance Scam Reporting Barriers
The psychological, social, and practical obstacles that prevent romance fraud victims from reporting losses to authorities or seeking help.
Also known as: under-reporting romance fraud, fraud disclosure barriers
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Romance fraud is significantly under-reported relative to its actual prevalence. The primary barriers are psychological: shame at having been deceived, embarrassment about the emotional nature of the relationship, fear of being judged by family and peers, and the practical complication that victims often actively defended the scammer to concerned friends during the relationship. Disclosing the fraud means acknowledging both the financial loss and the deception that preceded it.
Practical barriers also exist: uncertainty about which authority to report to, scepticism about whether any recovery is possible, and in some cases a residual emotional bond with the scammer persona that makes full acknowledgement painful. Older victims may additionally worry that family members will use the incident to question their competence or independence.
Reporting, even when recovery is unlikely, matters: it contributes to the data that law enforcement uses to identify networks, disrupts ongoing operations, and may help other potential victims. Dedicated reporting pathways exist in most countries through financial regulators, consumer protection agencies, and specialist fraud units.
Examples
- A victim delays reporting for six months out of shame, by which time the platform used by the scammer has been shut down and evidence is harder to gather.
- A victim tells the investigating officer they still believe some part of the relationship was genuine, illustrating the residual emotional bond that complicates disclosure.