Overview
- Police-backed JPC3 guidance urges daters to verify profiles with reverse image searches, stay on-platform, seek video or in-person checks, and never send money without certainty.
- Romance scams ranked third by reports in 2025 with 3,432 incidents and about A$28 million in losses, according to Scamwatch data cited by JPC3.
- Researchers warn generative AI and deepfakes now tailor and automate approaches using social media data, making scams more convincing and scalable.
- Authorities highlight red flags such as pressure to move chats off apps, rapid affection, oversharing, excuses to avoid meeting or video calls, and requests for secrecy.
- Consumer advocates say the Commonwealth’s Scams Prevention Framework leaves high-risk platforms without obligations and are calling for tighter rules and better victim support.