A Montana woman, identified only as Rita, lost more than $90,000 in an online romance scam. She shared her story in a video created by the FBI on June 15th, World Elder Abuse Day, hoping to help others recognize the signs before it’s too late.

In 2024, Rita was going through a divorce and feeling isolated when she was approached online. The messages from the scammer filled an emotional void during a difficult time in her life—until the financial toll and betrayal became impossible to ignore.

“It hit me at the right time,” she said. “I was very vulnerable. For me, these texts were like a drug… like I needed them to live with. Now I read these texts, and it makes me sick that I fell for this.”

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What happened to Rita — and how romance scams work

In 2024, Rita met a person online who claimed to be a celebrity. They couldn’t meet in person, he said. At the time, that didn’t seem strange. The celebrity was also going through a divorce, and they bonded emotionally over their shared struggles. The connection grew deeper, and then the celebrity began requesting money through Bitcoin.

By the time Rita realized what was happening, she was out nearly $90,000. Some of the romance scam red flags become clear only in hindsight. Here’s how they typically work:

When Rita finally started to question the relationship, she saw the truth: “I wasn’t thinking with my brain,” she said. “I was thinking with my heart.”

Hundreds of millions of dollars are lost to romance scams nationwide

Rita’s not alone. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans lost a total of $1.14 billion to romance scams in 2023, with more than 64,000 victims reporting losses. The FBI’s annual Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) fraud report said there were over 17,000 reports of romance scams in 2024, with a total loss of $672 million. Victims over the age of 60 are most vulnerable, with a reported $389 million in losses to romance scams alone.

The impact is also clear in Montana. FBI spokesperson Sandra Barker said the state saw 44 romance scam victims last year with millions in losses.

“In 2024, our internet crime report shows that in Montana, there were 44 victims reporting losses of over $2.2 million just on romance scams alone, so that will indicate just how prevalent the scam is,” she said.

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How to stay safe from romance scams

Romance scams often follow a predictable pattern: fast emotional bonding, refusal to meet in person, and repeated requests for money. To stay safe, the FTC recommends keeping these tips in mind:

If you think you’ve been scammed, cut off contact immediately and report it. File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov) and report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.FTC.gov. You should also contact your bank or credit card company to see if any payments can be reversed.

“So many people are so embarrassed to come forward and admit to it,” Rita says, but she implores victims to come forward anyway because “You give these people an opportunity to make even more money. So you need to report it, don’t get taken advantage of.”

While recovering stolen funds can be difficult, especially if sent via crypto or wire, reporting the scam quickly may improve your chances. It can also help prevent others from being targeted by the same perpetrator.

Rita says she shared her story in the hope that others will learn from her experience. “If I can save just one person from this folly, if I can make one person realize that this is not real, I’ve done my job.”

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.