Recently, I had the opportunity to join the AARP Roost Podcast for a conversation about romance scams, fraud awareness, and how real stories can drive real change. What started as a simple idea turned into something much bigger. How It Started Like a lot of people in this space, I spend time listening to fraud-related content. One night, I came across Romance Scam Rebellion, created by Anola Johnson. I expected to fall asleep to it. Instead, I stayed awake and binged it. Her

Romance scams don’t usually feel like scams. They feel like a real connection. A conversation that moves a little faster than expected. Someone who seems to understand you right away. By the time something feels off, there’s already trust involved. What I’ve found in investigations is that while the stories change, the pattern almost always stays the same. How Romance Scams Usually Unfold Most cases follow a similar sequence, even if the details look different. Initial Contac