For many, romance fraud isn’t just a headline — it’s a devastating reality. Love Con Revenge pulls back the curtain on the world of online romance scams, exposing how fraudsters can create fake relationships to manipulate innocent people out of large sums of money. The series follows host Cecilie Fjellhøy — herself a former victim of the infamous “Tinder Swindler” — and veteran private investigator Brianne Joseph as they help these victims fight back. In many of these cases, getting justice isn’t easy — and Love Con Revenge reveals both the emotional and financial devastation left behind, as well as the many obstacles victims face in holding alleged perpetrators accountable.
However, Cecilie and Brianne hope the series encourages viewers who’ve experienced romance fraud to speak up — and that it helps others realize how widespread romance scams are. “You’ll meet these people in person. It’s not just one crazy story. But this is happening every single day, unfortunately. And we just need to be made aware,” Cecilie tells Tudum.
Below, Cecilie and Brianne unpack the cases and the lasting impact of these scams, and they reflect on the questions viewers are left with after watching Love Con Revenge.
In each episode, Cecilie and Brianne investigate a different romance scam, uncovering the elaborate tactics used — like fake professions, fabricated tragedies, and bogus investment opportunities — to exploit victims. The series also reveals the unique challenges survivors face, from law enforcement’s reluctance to act to the powerful sense of shame that can keep victims silent.
The show’s origins, the hosts say, are rooted in a sense of shared purpose. After being inundated with pleas for help following The Tinder Swindler, Cecilie realized she needed an investigative partner. “I [could] be the mental health support,” she says, “but I needed someone like Brianne to go deeper.”
“We shared a common goal, which was getting justice for people who needed help,” Brianne says.
Cecilie and Brianne were struck by the sheer scale and complexity of all the scams they investigated, but Cecilie points to the case featured in Episode 2, “Fallen Soldier,” as particularly egregious. Bridget was manipulated for years by Ricky, a former US Army soldier who fabricated stories of wartime trauma to gain her trust. He convinced her to part with thousands of dollars, claiming much of it was for the family of a fallen comrade he had, in fact, barely known. (He also withdrew thousands more from her bank account.) Feeling betrayed and overwhelmed, Bridget turned to Cecilie and Brianne for help.
“Using a dead man’s legacy and memory to take someone’s money to get that empathy — horrendous,” Cecilie says.
According to the series, Ricky was ultimately tried on three felony counts of fraud and larceny against Bridget, found guilty on all counts, and is now awaiting sentencing. And while seeing justice served in court thrilled Cecilie, it was the restoration of Bridget’s resolve — and her ability to rebuild her life — that stood out most to her.
“To see [Bridget] glow up and to see her coming out on the other side — it’s just been so heartwarming for me, because she was a true fighter,” she says.
For Brianne, one of the most staggering cases was Episode 3’s “Fraudster in the Family.” Here, Dorian married Shareza, while falsely claiming to be a medical doctor, allegedly manipulating her and her daughters in a scheme involving some $2 million in fraud.
“It’s just mind-blowing the extent that this guy goes through to create this fake persona simply to defraud someone,” Brianne says. “He allowed children to take his last name to create that persona and completely devastated them.”
As the series shows, when victims come forward and share their stories, it can make a real difference. Todd, Episode 1’s “Selfie Scammer,” was declared bankrupt and forced to sell his business, Sanjara, to pay debts. Eight women, including Jill, whose story is featured in the episode, have come forward claiming fraud. The victims continue to pursue justice, though Todd denies all allegations.
In some cases, justice has moved forward in dramatic ways. Since filming wrapped, one featured case has even resulted in a federal indictment: In July, Christopher — the so-called “Major League Scammer” from Episodes 5 and 6 — was arrested on a 14-count indictment for using dating apps to defraud victims, including featured survivors Lindsay and Lauren, out of more than $2 million. If convicted, he could face decades in prison. (Christopher denies the accusations against him.)
“When the FBI is taking on [the case], that’s serious,” Cecilie says. “I was in the bankruptcy hearings with [Christopher] ... just to see him squirm and to see the FBI there, you knew something was happening.”
Other cases remain unresolved or have had mixed outcomes. Dorian, from Episode 3, claimed his “Dr” title referred to a PhD and has not been charged with any crime, while Shareza now faces a claim for filing a false police report; both parties have dropped their civil suits. And the scammer at the center of Episode 4’s “Geek Girl Con,” Sabrina, pleaded guilty to stealing over $600,000 from acquaintances through wire fraud. However, victim Aaron was unable to recoup his losses from Sabrina due to a five-year statute of limitations.
In some of the most powerful moments of the series, Cecilie and Brianne helped victims confront their scammers in public and on camera — but only if they wanted to. While confronting her own scammer was a way to reclaim her narrative and agency, “This is not for everyone to do,” Cecilie says. “It needs to come from the victim, and it needs to be in the right setting and at the right time. … You’re doing it for yourself, to be able to say the things you wish you could have said earlier on.”
Brianne adds that these confrontations aren’t about spectacle, but about helping victims restore their sense of agency and finding closure. “We didn’t want it to be chaotic, and we didn’t want it to be a dangerous moment,” she says. “It’s not about yelling and screaming and just trying to have a moment. It was really just to give them their voice back … to express the frustration and the hurt.”
For more on the warning signs and legal landscape of romance scams — including Cecilie and Brianne’s reflections on common tactics and ways to stay safe — see their insights here.
Love Con Revenge is now streaming on Netflix.
