Connection · Dating well with apps & AI
Heart Check: romance scams, red flags and what to do
Six short lessons on how to spot a romance scam, on dating apps, social media or anywhere else: how they work, four quick checks, every form of the money ask, how to help someone you’re worried about, the first hour after paying, and recovery scams. With reporting routes for Australia, the UK and the US.
About this course
Romance scams: red flags and what to do.
Starter · About 1 hour of learning · 6 lessons · 14 quick checks · 1 download
Who it's for
Adults in Australia, the UK, the US and elsewhere, on dating apps or not, and people worried about a friend or relative.
How it works
6 guided lessons in your browser, with worked examples, exercises and a quick check after each lesson. Progress is saved in this browser only, and you can restart at any time. You start with just your first name and email, and you can take one whole course that way. After that, a free account lets you continue past lesson 1.
Sources we rely on
22 published sources, mostly regulators and official bodies, listed below so you can check the original guidance yourself.
By the end you can
- Describe the stages of a romance scam
- Run four quick checks on a profile and its story
- Recognize every form of the money ask and refuse it
- Plan a supportive conversation with someone who may be caught up in a scam
- Take the first-hour steps after paying, and spot recovery scams
Downloads
- Romance scam check and action plan .docxFull versions of the course exercises: stage and red-flag checklist, four-check profile sheet, conversation planner for helping someone, first-hour action card with AU/UK/US numbers, and your protection rules.
Rules by country
Learning time
About 1 hour of learning. May count towards your CPD or professional development; check your professional body's rules. Estimated from reading time, exercises, quick checks and downloads.
Sources
Check the originals.
How these courses are made. Spotted an error or out-of-date rule? Send a correction.
Not therapy or counseling. If you're struggling, please contact a support service. In an emergency call 000 (AU), 999 (UK), 911 (US/Canada) or 111 (NZ). Anywhere else, call your local emergency number.
- Relationship scams · Scamwatch, National Anti-Scam Centre (ACCC, Australia)
- Report a scam · Scamwatch, National Anti-Scam Centre (ACCC, Australia)
- Submit a report (ReportCyber) · Australian Signals Directorate, cyber.gov.au
- Contact IDCARE · IDCARE (Australia and New Zealand identity and cyber support service)
- What to know about romance scams · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- What to do if you were scammed · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- Refund and recovery scams · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- ReportFraud.ftc.gov · Federal Trade Commission (US)
- Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) · FBI (US)
- National Elder Fraud Hotline · Office for Victims of Crime, US Department of Justice
- Romance fraud · Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud), City of London Police (UK)
- 159 Phone number · Stop Scams UK (UK)
- Romance fraud · Police Scotland
- Stop! Think Fraud · UK Government (GOV.UK campaign)
- Lifeline crisis support: 13 11 14 · Lifeline Australia
- Contact a Samaritan · Samaritans (UK and Ireland)
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline · 988 Lifeline (US)
- Triple Zero · Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (AU)
- Victim Support · Victim Support (England and Wales)
- Contact the police · GOV.UK
- Contact us · Police Scotland
- National 911 Program · 911.gov, NHTSA (US)
Publisher
Who publishes this course.
Published by trainyourself.org, a trading name of Combine TRS Pty Ltd (ABN 42 112 983 678), Brisbane, Australia.
How it's made: researched from published official, public-health, university and support-service guidance (general education, not counselling or therapy), then run through automated quality checks against our course depth standard and automated source checks that match each rule to its official source, listed above. Read how these courses are made.
Last updated:
General education, not counseling, therapy, medical or legal advice. If you are struggling, contact one of the support services named in this course; in an emergency, call your local emergency number. Spotted an error or an out-of-date rule? Send us a correction.
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