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PBS News Hour

What’s behind online romance scams and who is most at risk

Season 2025 Episode 47 | 5m 18s

It’s Valentine’s Day weekend and love is in the air. More and more these days, that first spark begins with connections made on digital devices — but not all online romances are real. Scammers use texts and fake profiles to win trust and fleece billions of dollars per year from Americans. Ali Rogin speaks with investigative reporter Cezary Podkul about how these scams work and who they target.

Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by Consumer Cellular and Cunard Cruise Line. For a complete list of funders for the PBS NewsHour and PBS NewsHour weekend, click here.
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