As Valentine’s Day approaches, prosecutors in Ohio issue a warning to Americans. They want people to be careful about romance scams that use cryptocurrency. These scams happen when someone makes a fake online relationship to get money from another person.
First, what is a romance scam? It is a trick where a person pretends to be in love with you to gain your trust and then asks for money under false reasons or to help in a pretend plan. For more about this kind of scam, you can read a simple explanation at Romance scam.
A lot of these scams happen on dating apps, social media, or even through text messages. The scammer spends weeks or even months building trust before asking for money. The money often goes toward a fake emergency or a fake investment that never exists.
To help people understand, here is a quick word on a few terms you might see. Romance scam is the word for the love‑based trick; cryptocurrency is digital money that works on computer networks and uses a technology called blockchain. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is an FBI unit where people can report crimes that happen online. Tether (USDT) is a popular cryptocurrency that tries to stay equal in value to the U.S. dollar. Wire fraud is using electronic messages to commit fraud. These definitions help explain what investigators are seeing in these cases.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio said criminals often approach targets through dating apps, social platforms, or text messages. They build trust for weeks or months before asking for money for fake emergencies or investments. Prosecutors say these scammers prey on trust and emotion and that they are not looking for love; they are looking for money. They also note that scammers often target older adults and people who feel emotionally vulnerable.
Officials cited recent prosecutions and investigations to illustrate the problem. In a December 2025 case, Frederick Kumi, a Ghanaian national, was accused of helping run a romance fraud network. He is said to have taken more than $8 million from elderly victims since 2023. Investigators say the group used artificial intelligence tools to create false identities and to keep up convincing, real‑looking conversations. Kumi was arrested in Ghana and faces charges including wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Wire fraud means using electronic communications to commit fraud, while money laundering is making illegally earned money look legal.
In another case from Ohio, a woman lost about $663,000 after a stranger reached out to her through a “wrong number” text. The fraudster then guided her to open accounts on Crypto.com and Coinbase. The person persuaded her to transfer funds to a fake investment platform. These kinds of steps show how fraud can move through real‑world apps and online services that handle crypto or other digital assets.
Investigators from the FBI traced part of the stolen money to cryptocurrency wallets. They later seized more than $8.2 million in USDT, with help from Tether. USDT is a cryptocurrency called Tether that is designed to stay close in value to the U.S. dollar. A wallet is a digital place to store crypto, similar in idea to a real wallet that holds cash. When money is moved from one wallet to another, investigators can follow those lines to see where the money goes next.
These stories fit a wider pattern. A January 2026 report from PeckShield, a blockchain security company, said crypto scams and hacks cost users more than $4 billion in 2025. Of that amount, about $1.37 billion came from scams alone. The losses from scams rose by about 64% from the year before. The report notes that scammers often use highly personalized methods to impersonate trusted people, especially people who have high value or influence. This means scammers try to look like someone the target would know and trust.
Ohio prosecutors offer several ways people can protect themselves from romance tricksters. They suggest doing a reverse image search on profile photos. This means checking whether a profile photo is used by someone else in a different account. They advise skepticism toward anyone who refuses to meet in person or to talk on video after a while. They also urge a hard rule: never send cryptocurrency, gift cards, or money transfers to people you meet online, no matter what story they tell. Even small steps can protect people from big losses.
Officials also say victims should preserve all messages and financial records. They should file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). There is also a National Elder Fraud Hotline that operates daily to help older adults report crimes and get support. For people who have already sent crypto, time matters. Law enforcement can freeze stolen assets, but only if wallets are identified before funds move through mixers or overseas exchanges. A mixer is a service that mixes many people’s crypto to hide where it came from. An overseas exchange is a platform located outside the United States where people can trade crypto. Early action can increase the chance of recovering money.
The public warning about Valentine’s Day romance scams and crypto risk was published by CryptoPotato, a news site that covers cryptocurrency topics. If you want to read more about this topic, you can visit their coverage for today’s news.