Reports of romance scams hit a record high in recent years, with the FTC reporting $1.14 billion in losses in 2023 (Federal Trade Commission, 2024). The rise in romance scams comes at a time with more people are meeting romantic partners online via social media sites and dating apps (Barclays, 2025).
“Many people who’ve experienced scams report being contacted on dating apps,” reports the Federal Trade Commission (Federal Trade Commission, 2022). “Reports of unexpected private messages on social media platforms are [also] common.”
Romance scams occur when a fraudster creates a fake dating or social media profile and pursues a victim romantically. After the scammer builds trust with the victim, the fraudster asks for money for a plane ticket, investment, emergency, or another pressing issue (Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice, 2022). It often isn’t until the victim sends money and loses contact with the scammer that he or she realizes deception occurred.
Romance scammers are often successful because they build trust with their victims. They often ask the victims to message through another app, such as WhatsApp or Telegram, and communicate with them often (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 2025).
This type of fraudster usually makes excuses to avoid meeting in-person, such as frequent travel for work or being a caretaker for a family member.
After building trust with the victim, the fraudster will ask for money through a non-traditional form of payment, such wire transfers, payment applications, cryptocurrency, and gift cards (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 2025). According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 60 percent are by cryptocurrency or wire transfers, 7 percent by gift cards, and 3 percent by payment apps.
To prevent falling victim to a romance scam, recognize the signs of them. Romance scammers will often refuse an in-person meeting, isolate victims from family and friends, engage in instant-attraction or “love bombing,” message on third-party apps, or engage in “constant travel.” Most importantly, these scammers ask their victims for money.
One way to vet a person online is through a “Reverse Image Search” to see if a person’s picture is used on other profiles. Another is to be suspicious when anyone asks for money, especially via a nontraditional payment network.
If you are a victim of a romance scam, report it. Contact your bank, file a report with the FTC, and contact the FBI.
Works Cited
Barclays. (2025, April 25). Barclays Scams Bulletin: Romance scam reports rise 20 per cent as online dating hits 30-year anniversary. Retrieved from Barclays: https://home.barclays/news/press-releases/2025/04/barclays-scams-bulletin--romance-scam-reports-rise-20-per-cent-a/
Federal Trade Commission. (2022, February 10). Reports of romance scams hit record highs in 2021. Retrieved from Federal Trade Commission: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2022/02/reports-romance-scams-hit-record-highs-2021
Federal Trade Commission. (2024, February 14). “Love Stinks” – when a scammer is involved. Retrieved from Federal Trade Commission: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2024/02/love-stinks-when-scammer-involved
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice. (2022, August). What to Know About Romance Scams. Retrieved from Federal Trade Commission: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-romance-scams
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (2025, 08 20). Protect Yourself Against Romance Scams. Retrieved from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: https://www.ice.gov/about-ice/hsi/news/hsi-insider/romance-scams-protect-yourself