Key takeaways

Never send money, gift cards, or crypto to someone you have not met in person, however close you feel. A new partner who steers you toward an investment is a red flag.

  • The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report counted 23,159 confidence and romance complaints with reported losses of $929,287,469.
  • The FTC lists an offer to help you start investing in cryptocurrency as a sign of a romance scam.
  • Moving the chat off the dating app, a story about working far away, and a sudden emergency are the usual early signs.
  • You can report and ask for help even if you feel embarrassed. These scams are run by people who do it for a living.

If you were given a trading app or website, look it up in the scam directory before you add more funds.

How a romance scam unfolds

A romance scam usually runs in four phases. The details change, but the order rarely does.

The match. A profile on a dating app, Instagram, or Facebook appears attractive, successful, and attentive. Some are fake accounts built from stolen photos. Some are people who write to many targets at once from a script.

The bond. Contact grows to several messages a day, and the chat moves to another app. The FTC says scammers build a relationship, then invent a story that suits your situation. You hear about their days, their loneliness, and their plans for you.

The ask. Money is requested for something urgent and believable, or an investment is offered. Either path ends in payment by transfer, gift card, or crypto. When you pay once, a second request usually follows.

The squeeze. If you stop paying, the tone changes to guilt, anger, or threats. In investment versions, you hit a wall when you try to withdraw. Some people are then contacted by fake recovery services, described in the recovery scams guide.

Ten warning signs of a romance scam

Each sign alone can have an innocent explanation. A cluster of them, especially with a request for money, means you should stop and check.

  1. A fast, intense connection with someone you have never met. They call you their soulmate within days and talk about a future together. Scammers move quickly because the feeling does the work for them. A real partner can wait for a video call.
  2. They want to leave the dating app quickly. The FTC says to be wary when a person you met on a dating site or app wants to switch quickly to email, calls, or messaging. Off-platform chats mean the app can no longer spot or remove the account.
  3. They always live or work far away. Common stories are military service, an oil rig, a medical mission, or a business abroad. The distance explains why you cannot meet and sets up a later request for travel money.
  4. Video calls never happen, or the camera is “broken”. Excuses for a bad connection, a damaged camera, or poor signal go on for weeks. If a live video call keeps failing, treat that as evidence.
  5. The photos and the story do not match. Run a reverse image search on their profile photos, as the FTC suggests. If the pictures appear under other names, or the job and location differ between chats, the profile is not real.
  6. A story that always fits your situation. The FTC notes scammers invent stories that fit your life. They may have also lost a spouse, have a child your age, or share your hobby. Perfect matches deserve suspicion, not delight.
  7. A sudden emergency that needs money. A hospital bill, a customs fee, a plane ticket, a frozen account, or a legal problem. The request comes with urgency and an apology. Whatever the reason, the answer is the same.
  8. They ask for hard-to-reverse payment. The FTC lists wire transfers, gift cards, money transfer apps, and cryptocurrency as the usual methods. A partner who asks you to buy gift cards and read out the PIN codes is a scammer.
  9. They offer to teach you to invest in crypto. The relationship turns to money. They say they made a fortune on a trading platform and want to share it with you. This is the path into investment fraud, covered in the <a href="/guides/investment-scams/">investment scams guide</a>.
  10. They ask you to keep the relationship or the investment secret. Secrecy stops friends and family from stepping in. If a partner tells you not to discuss it with your bank or relatives, talk to them first.

What the numbers show

In its 2025 Internet Crime Report, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded 23,159 confidence and romance complaints, with reported losses of $929,287,469. Those numbers cover only what people report to IC3. The FBI also lists a cryptocurrency link in 5,925 of the romance complaints.

Crypto investment fraud sits beside this. The FBI said it caused $7.2 billion in reported losses in 2025 and that victims often meet scammers on dating apps and social media. Its Operation Level Up notified 3,780 crypto investment victims in 2025, and 78 percent did not know they were being scammed. That last figure shows how well the setup hides the fraud, including from people who feel sure.

Protect yourself without closing yourself off

You can enjoy online dating and still keep a few rules. Ask for a live video call early, and treat repeated delays as a sign. Do not share your address, ID, or bank details. Do not lend, send, or hold money for a partner you have not met.

Tell a friend what you are doing. People outside the relationship often spot the pattern faster. If a partner’s advice turns to money, apps, or secrecy, take a screenshot and ask someone else to read it. Ask yourself one question: if this person did not exist, who would I be sending money to?

If you already sent money or details

Stop all payments and stop replying. Do not confront the person, because they may become aggressive or vanish. Save the profile, the chats, the payment receipts, wallet addresses, and names of apps.

Contact your bank or payment provider through its official number or app, say you paid a scammer, and ask for a refund or a recall. Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the app where you met them. If crypto was involved, report to the FBI at ic3.gov. If you shared a password or ID, change your passwords and check your credit.

Expect that someone may contact you offering to recover the money. See the recovery scams guide first, and the urgent payment guide if anyone is pressing you to pay today. Many victims also find that talking to a counselor or support group helps. This is a crime done to you, not a failing.

Official sources

Scambaba is an independent educational project. Reporting and recovery options depend on where you live. How these guides are researched is on the editorial policy.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if someone online is a romance scammer?

Check for a fast declaration of love, refusal to video call, a far-away job, and a request for money or a crypto tip. Run a reverse image search on their photos and search their name plus “scammer”. Never send money to someone you have not met in person.

What is a romance scam with crypto investing?

It is when a long-distance partner introduces you to a trading app or “platform” and shows you big profits. The relationship is bait for investment fraud. The FBI warns these long-term scams are largely run by organized groups in Southeast Asia.

Can I get my money back from a romance scammer?

It depends on how you paid. Contact your bank, card issuer, or transfer service immediately. Recovery is more likely with fast action on a bank transfer than after crypto or gift cards. Be wary of any service that promises a refund for a fee.

Is it still a scam if we have talked for months?

Yes. Time is part of the method. Many romance scammers spend weeks or months building trust before they ask for money. The length of a chat says nothing about whether the person is real.

What should I do if I think I am being scammed?

Stop sending money and stop replying. Talk to a friend or family member. Keep screenshots and payment records. Contact your bank, report to the FTC and the platform where you met them, and report to the FBI’s IC3 if crypto was involved.

Where can I report a romance scam outside the United States?

In the UK, report to Action Fraud. In Australia, use Scamwatch. Other countries have their own consumer or police fraud portals. Also report the profile to the dating app or social network so it can be removed.