Global Fraud Summit – Combatting Romance Fraud in the Online Sector
We attended the Global Fraud Summit in Vienna in March and we were delighted to be given the option to host a side panel event.
In this panel we explore the growing threat of romance fraud through the lived experiences of survivors Kirsty Guest and Anna Rowe, moderated by Simon Newman, CEO of the Online Dating and Discovery Association. Both speakers shared their personal stories of how romance fraud caused deep emotional, psychological and financial harm, often long after the scam itself had ended. Both experiences show how coercive tactics used by fraudsters closely mirror patterns seen in domestic abuse.
The discussion focused on what platforms are doing well, including stronger safety measures and better collaboration, but also stressed that more action is needed. Key recommendations included improved ID verification, stronger use of AI and facial recognition to detect fake profiles, faster in-app support to prevent victims being encouraged to take conversations off-platform, and better reporting tools.
The panel also called for greater victim support, better training for police and banks, and an end to victim-blaming in public conversations about fraud.
