Relationships

Method of modern love: The scam romances blighting the dating game

For those seeking to find love online, the landscape of contemporary dating is fraught with potentially ruinous scams that seek to fleece the unwary – and the psychological damage can be considerable

The number of romance fakes and frauds is on the up. In the first five months of 2022 alone, criminals conned Irish victims out of more than €800,000. Picture: Getty

Dave (not his real name) is 29 years of age. He has his “own business of import and export” and invests in shares and real estate. He splits his time between Dubai, Europe and Ireland, and is in Dublin expanding his business. According to his Tinder profile, he doesn’t have any expectations, “because even Santa comes with a clause”.

His apparent love for gym selfies notwithstanding, Dave is attractive, gainfully employed and age-appropriate for me. ...