Australia Warns 5,000 Citizens of Dating App Romance Scam Costing $23.6M

Australian authorities have issued alerts to over 5,000 citizens identified as potential victims of romance scams, following significant financial losses reported in 2024. The National Anti-scam Centre has taken the proactive step of sending text message warnings to targeted individuals, primarily men, who may be at risk. The initiative follows Australia’s broader push for enhanced digital identity protection, including the recent launch of its National Strategy for Identity Resilience.

According to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), citizens reported losses of $23.6 million to dating and romance scams throughout 2024. The scam operation has been traced to cybercriminals operating from the Philippines who use dating applications to establish relationships with potential victims. The pattern underscores the growing need for stronger authentication measures in dating platforms, similar to those implemented by Tinder’s selfie-based ID verification system.

ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe emphasized the scale of the threat, noting that thousands of Australians have been affected by these sophisticated schemes. The National Anti-scam Centre’s intervention represents a coordinated response to the growing challenge of romance-based fraud in the digital age. The deployment of SMS warnings, while helpful, comes with its own security considerations, as highlighted by recent FBI and CISA advisories regarding SMS vulnerabilities.

The identified scam operation uses dating applications as the primary vector for targeting victims, establishing trust relationships before attempting to extract funds. The approach matches common patterns of romance scam operations, which typically involve extended periods of trust-building before any requests for financial transactions are made. Digital identity companies like Yoti have been advocating for increased transparency in online dating, promoting the use of verified digital identity solutions to combat such fraudulent activities.

Sources: Mirage News, SBS News, Neos Kosmos, The West Australian, Cyber Daily

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