BANGKOK, THAILAND – A psychologist at Thammasat University warned that online romance scams increasingly targeted older people by exploiting loneliness and declining risk awareness.
Loneliness as an entry point
Assoc Prof Monin Techawachirakul from the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Thammasat University said many older adults suffered from loneliness or emotional emptiness, often after the death of a partner or because they lived apart from their children. This emotional gap made them more receptive to new online contacts that promised attention but could turn out to be fraud.
Social media as risk and opportunity
According to her observations, social networks and online dating made it easier to meet seemingly suitable partners but also increased the risk of toxic relationships and attempted scams. Older users who struggled to keep up with rapid digital developments were particularly vulnerable to professionally crafted profiles and convincing stories.
Weakened internal warning systems
Assoc Prof Monin Techawachirakul pointed out that age-related changes in brain function gradually weakened abilities such as logical thinking, situation analysis and the recognition of danger. Compared with younger people, this deterioration reduced the capacity for risk assessment, making it easier for scammers to cross emotional and financial boundaries.
Higher risk for older men
According to the psychologist, older men faced an especially high risk because certain hormones linked to sexual desire declined less sharply in them than in women. This increased the susceptibility to being deceived by attractive profile photos or aggressive flirting and to overlooking warning signs.
The chemistry of manipulation
When scammers gave their victims intense attention and care, the brain released the messenger substance dopamine, which was associated with positive feelings. Repeated dopamine surges strengthened the emotional bond with the supposed partner and at the same time weakened rational judgment of the situation.
How scammers operate
Typically, romance scammers tried to build emotional closeness very quickly and steered conversations away from everyday topics towards personal crises. Stories about illness, emergencies or financial problems often followed and ultimately led to more or less direct demands for money.
Money demands as a warning sign
Assoc Prof Monin Techawachirakul advised people to be particularly critical at the moment when money entered the conversation and to question carefully whether the affection shown was genuine.
“As soon as financial support is requested, those affected should examine their own feelings and consider whether there is not a financial interest rather than genuine affection behind it.”
said Monin Techawachirakul, psychologist at Thammasat University.
What healthy relationships look like
In her assessment, healthy relationships developed gradually and primarily conveyed emotional security and a feeling of inner calm. Relationships that instead caused persistent guilt, fear, restlessness or emotional chaos could indicate an unhealthy bond and possible abuse.