The idea driving our work was to decrease the stigma and shame associated with being targeted by a romance scam. In 2023, more than 60,000 people reported romance scams to the Federal Trade Commission with total losses reaching $1.14 billion. The FTC believes the number of people affected is likely much higher but goes unreported due to feelings of shame and embarrassment connected to this type of emotional crime. Our goal was to produce a first person testimonial to address this massive public safety issue and help people feel empowered to come forward, report their experiences and receive the proper support and guidance that they deserve.
We wanted our video to connect viewers with Kate Kleinert, a romance scam survivor turned advocate, so they may hear her first-hand account. We wanted her story to educate viewers on the signs of a scam, provide an example of what to do if they ever found themselves in a similar situation, and most importantly, reduce the stigma, giving other victims the courage to report these crimes and seek out support.
With this video we also aimed to make viewers aware of AARP’s Fraud Watch Network – a free resource from AARP where people can learn how to proactively spot scams and receive guidance from our fraud specialists if they’ve been targeted.
To bring this project to life, we built trust with our subject, Kate Kleinert, whose deeply personal journey would be the heart of the video. We wanted her to feel comfortable and confident while sharing her story on camera, ensuring that viewers would be inspired by her resilience.
To execute our strategy, we decided to film at Kleinert’s home and have her speak directly to the camera to foster a direct connection with the audience. We used an eye-direct device to enable Kleinert to see our interviewer at the same time she was looking into the camera lens.
For supporting footage, we wanted to show authentic visuals of what different stages of a romance scam looks like. So we asked Kleinert to provide real emails and photos sent by her scammer. We even had her recreate phone conversations she had with him. Incorporating these elements into the video gave viewers a step-by-step look at how the scam unfolded, making her experience more tangible and relatable.
We led off with Kleinert’s story for maximum emotional impact, but we researched key statistics about romance scams and included them via text on screen to tie Kleinert’s story into the bigger picture of this public safety threat. Lastly, we knew we wanted to drive viewers to AARP’s extensive fraud prevention resources with a strong call to action at the end of the video. So we included the URL and toll-free number for AARP’s Fraud Watch Network to connect people directly with more information.
This video has become a key tool in AARP’s fraud fighting efforts across the country. It was shared with all 53 AARP State offices for local outreach, and it has been incorporated into national advocacy efforts to protect consumers. It was also published on AARP’s website and Facebook page to raise awareness about this major public safety issue so that more people can protect themselves from similar schemes.
The video resonated strongly with our audience on Facebook, reaching more than 1.8 million viewers, garnering over 1.6 million views and generating more than 17k engagements. Viewers connected with Kleinert’s story, calling her brave and sharing their own personal experiences with scams.
Here is a representative sample of the nearly 2,000 comments on Facebook:
