From a New York Times story by Emily Schmall headlined “Retirees Are Losing Their Life Savings to Romance Scams. Here’s What to Know.”:

Con artists are using dating apps to prey on lonely people, and older ones are a growing target. In a pattern that accelerated during the isolation of the coronavirus pandemic, romance scams claimed $139 million from adults age 60 and older in 2020, according to data from the Federal Trade Commission, up from $84 million the year before.