💔 Dating scams are getting smarter — are you?

This week’s issue dives into the murky side of modern love — where vulnerability meets manipulation. I start with a real story of “healing together” that turned into emotional and financial exploitation — a reminder that empathy shouldn’t come at the cost of self-protection. From there, I explore how romance scams are evolving across the USA, India, and Turkey, revealing patterns that transcend borders. Plus, I unpack a subtle dating red flag known as love bombing — and close with a practical tip of the week to help you stay grounded when connection feels intoxicating.

Because while openness is powerful, boundaries are what keep it safe. 💔➡️❤️

“He said he wanted to heal together. That line hit me right in the chest — I’d just come out of a breakup myself, and here was someone who seemed to get it. He told me about his trauma, his absent father, and how therapy was helping him become a better person. I thought it was brave, even beautiful.

After a few weeks, he said his therapist raised her rates and his insurance stopped covering sessions. He sounded embarrassed, like asking me was the last thing he wanted to do. ‘I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important — I just don’t want to lose my progress,’ he wrote.

It didn’t sound like much — $150 for a session. Then another. Then medication. I wanted to help. That’s what love — or at least care — is supposed to look like, right?

A month later, the tone changed. He started guilt-tripping me for hesitating. ‘I thought you understood me. I thought you wanted to heal with me.’ When I finally said no, he disappeared — no goodbye, no closure. Just gone.

Looking back, the signs were there. He shared vulnerability, but never accountability. It wasn’t about healing together. It was about me paying for his pain.”

💡 Takeaway:
Emotional openness is beautiful — but when it’s used to create guilt, pressure, or financial dependency, it’s manipulation. Genuine healing never comes with an invoice.

🇺🇸 USA: Catfishing on Tinder now includes fake “crypto investor” profiles.

🇮🇳 India: Rise in fake “Matrimonial Profiles” demanding advance gifts or dowry.

🇹🇷 Turkey: “Holiday Romance” scams target tourists along the Mediterranean coast.

“We met on Instagram. He said he was a Turkish Airlines pilot — charming, well-spoken, always posting cockpit selfies. We never managed a proper video call — there was always turbulence, bad Wi-Fi, or a layover excuse. When he told me he needed $500 to renew his visa so he could come see me in Thailand, I wanted to believe him. Later, a reverse image search showed every photo was from Google. The pilot didn’t exist — but the scam did.”

Never send intimate photos to anyone you haven’t met — revenge scams often start with “trust tests.”

Dating should be exciting, not exhausting. Stay sharp, stay kind, and remember:

“If it feels off — it probably is.”