Last year marked a record high for romance scams in the United States. The growth in romance scams comes in part from acute social isolation ushered in by the COVID-19 epidemic and lockdowns. Scientists have found that humans evolved to rely on each other, and our brains are hardwired to seek out relationships and community for survival. Love is a necessity like food, water and shelter. The guilt, shame and social stigma surrounding these scams compound the loneliness that propels so many victims into them in the first place.

One rainy afternoon in August, Jean Booth scurried up the stairs of a nondescript Thai restaurant and took out her phone. She bit her lip; no messages. The boyfriend she'd met online, Donnie, was due to arrive at the airport in a matter of hours. Over the next half-hour, Jean checked her phone a few more times, but Donnie didn’t text or call. Jean wouldn’t hear from Donnie until hours later, when he’d tell her he was sorry, and ask her, again, for money. Last year marked a record high for romance scams across the United States. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdowns that fractured communities and frayed the social fabric of society, there are more lonely people than ever.

The Trump administration’s latest nominee to lead the nation’ top public health agency drew frustrated reactions from some U.S. senators when they pressed her on whether she would protect the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from political meddling. Dr. Erica Schwartz is up for director of the CDC, which is charged with protecting Americans from preventable health threats. Her career has largely been spent in military uniform, including in a leadership position at the U.S. Coast Guard where she oversaw the organization’s system of 41 clinics and 150 sick bays. She later served as deputy surgeon general.