A 60-year-old Queensland woman has lost more than $200,000 in an online romance scam and police say it is unlikely she will get any of it back.
Cairns Police Detective Acting Inspector Cindy Searle said a man claiming to be deployed in an overseas military service first contacted the Cairns woman on social media last year.
"She thought they were a person that she'd entered into some sort of relationship and friendship with, and they were in need of money for a variety of reasons," Acting Inspector Searle said.
Acting Inspector Cindy Searle says many scams are extremely sophisticated and easy to get caught up in. (ABC News: Conor Byrne)
Acting Inspector Searle said the contact continued for months with the woman making "many" payments following the man's requests.
"[They said] they were in need of money for a variety of reasons [including] that they were unable to access [it] themselves so they required her assistance to obtain money and goods," she said.
Acting Inspector Searle said the scam only ended when police reached out to the victim after receiving reports of suspicious activity.
She said it was unlikely that the woman would recoup the money.
The scammer originally contacted the woman on social media. (ABC News: David Sciasci )
Typical scammer profiles
According to a 2022 ACCC Targeting Scams report, about $210 million was lost to romance scams in Australia in 2022.
Jacqueline Drew from Griffith University's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice said scammers often chose profiles claiming to be a travelling businessperson or in the military.
Dr Drew said some interactions lasted for years.
"We've also had situations where someone has been essentially groomed by these scammers for years, if they think the payoff is going to be worth it," she said.
She said scammers targeting vulnerable Australians were often based overseas.
"Our laws, the jurisdiction, the police agency are very geographical based so offenders know that if they sit offshore, they often are less likely to be identified."
However, she said there were simple ways to avoid romance scams.
"Trust your instincts … keep your profiles private," she said.
"Be very careful with communicating with people you've never met in real life, particularly if they ask for money and particularly when it's time-sensitive for money transfers."
'Easy to get caught up'
Acting Inspector Searle said many people who have been scammed felt shame or embarrassment.
She said the scammers were incredibly well-practised at navigating and manipulating emotions.
"It is easy to get caught up in these scams because they understand how to respond to questions the victim may have," she said.
Australians lost $210 million to romance scams in 2022. (Pexels.com)
She said the best action for a victim was to alert the police.
"As humans we trust and when that trust is betrayed it is very difficult for a lot of people, particularly if they have been lonely or there is some emotional underlying issue there," Acting Inspector Searle said.
People worried about being caught up in a scam are also urged to contact their bank, block the scammer's email, change passwords and contact services such as Scamwatch, the Australian Cyber Security Centre's online reporting portal and ID care.