TOLEDO, Ohio — A Toledo woman in her 70s says she lost $10,000 to romance scammers in the past year, including impostors who posed as actor Jason Momoa, and she is now warning others not to fall for the same scheme.

She said the contact began after she commented on social media posts about an actor she liked. Impostors then reached out pretending to be him, and in one exchange she believed she was speaking with Momoa. She said the scammers love-bombed her — showering her with affection and promises of marriage — before asking for personal information, money and gift cards.

“I have lost $10,000 in the past year… And I am two months late on my rent,” she told 13abc. She said she has filed a police report and is working with a case manager at the Area Office on Aging for support.

According to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the FBI says Americans age 60 and older reported losing $584 million to romance scams in 2025, a 50% increase from the previous year. The attorney general’s office said actual losses are likely higher because many scams go unreported.

Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson has launched a hotline for people who believe they or a loved one may be a romance scam victim. Anyone who suspects a romance scam can call 1-855-961-SCAM (1-855-961-7226).

How to protect yourself: According to the sources, never send money or gift cards to someone you met online, and report suspected scams to police and the attorney general’s hotline.

Photo: Dennis Cortés / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)