Online Romance and Dating Scams

Love is in the air and online, but so are cybercriminals  

Almost a third of Americans said they used an online dating service or app according to a recent Pew survey, and 10% of people in a relationship said that they met their partner online. These stats are even higher for younger people. Unfortunately, though, all this online romance creates opportunities for scammers. Ick! 

What is a Romance Scam? 

Romance scams are also called sweetheart scams, which refer to scams involving online dating. Essentially, a bad actor creates a fake online profile, fires up the charm, and attempts to stir up romantic feelings in potential victims. After some not-so-innocent flirtation, eventually, the scammer asks for money.  

Pay attention to red flags 

Romance scammers try to be as convincing as possible, which can now include using artificial intelligence-powered deepfake video or audio technology. Still, many cybercriminals follow a similar scammy pattern. Look out for some red flags when cybersurfing for love:  

• The person requests money for urgent matters, such as medical expenses or a plane ticket to see you. Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.  
• The person requests hard-to-track forms of payment, like pre-loaded gift cards.  
• The person claims to live far away from you, often in a foreign country. They might also say they are in the military and serving overseas.  
• The person breaks promises to see you in person. 
• The person wants to push the conversation from the dating app to other messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram. 
• The relationship feels like it is moving very fast.  

Break up with scammers 

If you suspect you or a loved one are the victim of a romance scams, take action:  

• Immediately stop communicating with the scammer.  
• Note any identifiable information you may have on them, such as their email address or phone number. Take screenshots and write down any contact information.  
• Contact your bank or credit card company if you’ve been scammed out of money. 
• File a report with your local police department.  
• Report the scam to the FTC and the FBI.
• Alert the website, platform, or app where you met the scammer. They might have more information on the scammer that can help investigators. 

Did you know?

Americans reported losing a heartbreaking $1.3 billion to romance scams in 2022, according to the Federal Trade Commission, and the number is likely higher due to underreporting. 

Safeguard your heart (and wallet) from scammers 

By adopting a few privacy habits, you can limit what scammers can learn about you: 

• Share with care: Think before posting about yourself and others on social media or online dating services. Consider what a post reveals and who can see it.  
• Check your settings: Consider setting your social media profiles to “private”. This makes it harder for scammers to target and communicate with you.  
• Think before you click: Be wary of messages that push you for immediate action or ask for personal information. This is a red flag for phishing. Never share personal info via email or text if you do not know the sender.  
• Use reverse image search: Do a reverse image search of the flirty account’s profile picture. You may see that image belongs to a completely different person, or has been affiliated with different online identities. If this is the case, there is a high chance the person behind the fake profile picture is trying to scam you.