TRM Talks | Romance and investment scams are built on trust, pressure, and highly scripted psychological manipulation. And while crypto is often the payment rail, the underlying crime is familiar: fraud that targets everyday people and drains their life savings.

Detective Matt Hogan of the Connecticut State Police (and Operation Shamrock!) and scam survivor Jackie join TRM Labs’s Ari Redbord to walk through how the schemes unfold, how investigators trace funds, and why faster reporting and better education can make a difference.

Jackie shares her story of meeting someone on a dating platform and gradually being pulled into an investment narrative that felt credible — complete with convincing documentation, coaching, and escalating requests. She describes the warning signs she tried to validate, and what it was like to seek help before realizing the full scope of the scam.

Det. Hogan outlines what it takes to investigate these cases at the state and local level — including the operational and legal hurdles that can prevent recovery of funds. He also explains why many scams blend multiple typologies, from crypto transfers to gift cards, and how to better support survivors through the process.

On Spotify: Tracing a Romance Scam: A Survivor’s Story and the Investigation Behind It