NEW YORK (AP) — When Kate Kleinart fell victim of a romance scam, what hurt the most wasn't the thousands of dollars that she lost, but the love that she thought existed between her and the person who scammed her.

MATT SLOCUM
FILE - The likeness of Benjamin Franklin is seen on U.S. $100 bills, July 14, 2022, in Marple Township, Pa. In 2023, the Federal Trade Commission received over 64,000 romance scams reports that translated into $1.14 billion in reported losses. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)