Recent data from the Money Laundering Prevention Competency Center reveals that in the first three quarters of 2025, there were 328 recorded cases of romantic scamming, amounting to fraud losses of approximately 653,000 euros. On average, victims lost about 2,000 euros each, indicating a rise in both the number of incidents and the financial impact compared to previous years. From 2024, which reported 320 cases and nearly 579,000 euros in losses, there has been a 2.5% increase in cases and a nearly 13% increase in the money stolen by scammers. Romas Čereška, the development director at Citadele Bank, emphasizes that while romantic fraud may not be the most frequent scam type, its impact is particularly severe on victims both financially and emotionally. The method of operation has evolved, with scammers investing time in building relationships with their targets, sometimes over weeks or months, to gain their trust before orchestrating their fraud. Experts caution that scammers are employing more sophisticated techniques beyond just fake messages or links. They engage in genuine-seeming interactions, leading victims to justify increasingly suspicious requests, undermining their judgment. This emotional involvement is a critical strategy for scammers, who thrive on manipulating victims’ feelings to perpetuate their deceitful practices.