Romance scams continue to affect residents in Fairfax County, according to the Financial Crimes Unit of the Fairfax County Police Department. The unit reports a recurring pattern where individuals are targeted online by someone who seems like an ideal match. The scammer often moves conversations to private messaging, avoids meeting in person or on live video, and eventually requests money or sensitive personal information.
These scams typically involve perpetrators claiming to be overseas for work, such as military service or international business. They tend to ask many questions but provide little verifiable information about themselves. After establishing trust, scammers introduce urgent situations—such as medical emergencies, legal issues, travel problems, real estate complications, or investment opportunities—and ask their victims for help.
Warning signs include rapid emotional escalation from someone you have never met in person and requests for personal identifiers like full name, address, banking details, or Social Security numbers. Scammers may also claim significant wealth or status that cannot be verified and frequently make excuses not to meet face-to-face.
The police advise residents to verify identities before trusting anyone online. Suggestions include conducting reverse-image searches of profile photos and checking for inconsistencies across accounts. It is recommended to keep initial conversations public on the platform where contact was made and avoid sending money through wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or prepaid cards. Residents should also protect their personal information and insist on video calls; repeated excuses about camera issues are considered a warning sign.
Anyone who has already sent money or shared sensitive information is urged to stop all contact with the suspected scammer immediately. The department advises saving all communications and transaction records and contacting banks or creditors promptly to try halting transactions and adding fraud alerts. Changing passwords on affected accounts and enabling multi-factor authentication are also recommended steps.
To report a suspected romance scam in Fairfax County, individuals can call the non-emergency line at 703-691-2131 or use the Financial Crimes Online Reporting (FiCOR) system at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/HowDoI/FinancialCrimes. Reports can also be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The department reminds residents: “The bottom line is genuine relationships don’t require secrecy, urgency, or money. If it feels off, it probably is.” Community members are encouraged to share these precautions with friends and family—especially teens and older adults—to help prevent further incidents.
Residents can also register their cameras with Connect Fairfax County to assist law enforcement in solving crimes and locating missing persons.
For ongoing updates from the Fairfax County Police Department, visit their blog or follow @FairfaxCountyPD on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
