Understanding the Anatomy of Modern Romance Scams
Michael Breinig
Author, podcast host, and speaker dedicated to helping individuals and families recognize, avoid, and recover from modern romance scams
My Mission
After experiencing the devastating effects of a sophisticated online romance scam, I became determined to understand how emotional manipulation, trust, and attachment are used to facilitate financial fraud.
Today, I am the author of two books on modern romance scams—DING... "Hello Dear, Did You Miss Me?" and The Reality Behind Romance Scams: The Playbook. I am also the host of The Anatomy of Modern Romance Scams podcast and the creator of The AOM Framework™, The Four S's, The Scammer's Playbook, The 15/30 Rule, Pattern Recognition, and DBW: Delete. Block. Walk.—practical tools designed to help people recognize and avoid these crimes.
What I discovered was a widespread lack of understanding about how romance scams operate and why intelligent, capable people become trapped in them. That realization became the catalyst for my work through writing, speaking, podcasting, and public education.
My mission is to help individuals, families, businesses, and communities recognize the warning signs of manipulation before emotional attachment overrides logic, empowering them to protect themselves, those they care about, and others who may be at risk.
Featured Work
Explore the resources, insights, and presentations dedicated to helping people understand and prevent modern romance scams and financial fraud.
📘 DING... "Hello Dear, Did You Miss Me?"
A true story of grooming, manipulation, emotional dependency, and financial devastation—and the lessons learned from surviving a sophisticated online romance scam.
📗 The Reality Behind Romance Scams: The Playbook
A practical guide to understanding how modern romance scams work. Learn to recognize manipulation, identify warning signs, and protect yourself using proven frameworks including The AOM Framework™, The Four S's, The 15/30 Rule, Pattern Recognition, and DBW: Delete. Block. Walk.
A Podcast Was Born
The Anatomy of Modern Romance Scams explores the psychology, manipulation techniques, warning signs, and financial fraud tactics used in modern romance scams and pig-butchering schemes.
Through real-world examples and practical education, the podcast helps listeners understand how emotional attachment can override logic and how to recognize manipulation before financial loss occurs.
New episodes focus on prevention, awareness, and understanding how these scams really work.
