The hidden cost of online dating scams in New Zealand

There have been a number of headlines trending throughout 2025 so far. Tariffs, trade wars, geopolitical tensions... and romance scams.

Fake online relationships – better known as catfishes – have existed as long as social media has been around.

But the increasing prevalence of AI is making it trickier to tell fact from fiction.

One woman in France was conned out of 800,000 Euros after believing she was in a relationship with Oscar winner Brad Pitt, while closer to home, US-based Kiwi actor Martin Henderson has seen his face used as a front for these scams.

So how common are these elaborate scams, and what protections can be put in place to better protect vulnerable people?

Today on The Front Page, National Cyber Security Centre Threat and Incident Response team lead Tom Roberts is with to discuss what can be done to break up with these scammers.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.