What romance fraud can really look like – and why tech must catch up

In the latest episode of Joining the Dots, Thomas Drohan speaks with Anna Rowe, founder of Catch the Catfish and a leading voice in online safety, about her experience of being targeted by a romance fraudster – and how it led to a campaign for change.

A relationship built on lies

Anna met “Anthony” on a dating app. He said all the right things, seemed genuine, and over time, gained her trust. But it turned out he wasn’t who he said he was—not just in name, but in everything. For over a year, he manipulated her emotionally, maintained a double life, and was simultaneously deceiving other women.

How these crimes work – and why they’re so hard to see

Anna shares how grooming, love bombing, and psychological manipulation play a central role in romance fraud. She also explains why victims often don’t spot the red flags until it’s too late – and how shame and stigma can stop them from speaking out.

The role of technology in enabling abuse

From AI-generated video calls to fake online identities, scammers are increasingly using tech to build convincing personas. Meanwhile, many platforms still fail to remove fake profiles—even when there’s clear evidence. Anna and Thomas discuss what needs to change to better protect users.

Shifting from blame to prevention

This episode highlights the need to move away from victim-blaming and toward smarter prevention—through better tech safeguards, stronger policy, and greater public understanding. Anna’s work is helping victims regain control, while pushing for systems that stop this kind of abuse at the source.

A must-listen for anyone concerned about online dating, tech accountability, or protecting vulnerable people in the digital age, listen to our latest episode, Anna Rowe: How being catfished sparked an online safety movement.