Australian woman lost $646,035 in romance scam; new anti-scam laws delayed until 2027

A Melbourne woman in her 30s sent $646,035 to a person she met through a dating app after the individual requested funds for what were described as work expenses and emergencies. The woman, who has autism and a learning disability, transferred the money across 41 transactions to cryptocurrency platforms before learning the identity documents provided were fabricated.

The messages began on the Hinge platform in May 2025 and moved to WhatsApp the following day. The sender claimed to be a fly-in fly-out worker planning to relocate to Melbourne and described plans that included shared housing and children.

Current legal framework Australia's anti-scam legislation, passed in 2025, is scheduled to begin on 31 March 2027. The framework will place obligations on banks, telecommunications providers, and designated digital platforms to prevent, detect, report, and disrupt scams.

A government spokesperson said additional sectors could be added later if required. Consumer advocates have noted that the draft codes do not specify automatic reimbursement above $3,000 and leave detailed prevention measures to industry discretion.

Complaint outcome The woman's bank declined to refund the transfers.

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority reviewed the case and determined that the bank had processed the transactions as instructed and was not on notice that they related to a scam. Advocates argue the existing codes do not fully address modern scam methods.

The authority stated it assesses complaints under current rules, which were not designed for the scale of recent online fraud. A Hinge spokesperson said the company continues to develop verification tools, including a face-checking feature introduced in Australia in March 2025.