Fake Tinder Sugar Mummy/Daddy Advance-Fee Scam
A Tinder profile claiming to be a wealthy benefactor offers financial support in exchange for companionship, then extracts fees or gift cards from victims under various pretexts before disappearing.
Part of: Fake Sugar Momma Scam
Last reviewed: 7 June 2026
Sugar arrangement scams exploit the presence of genuine 'sugar dating' culture on platforms like Tinder to defraud users who are open to or curious about such arrangements. The fraudulent profile claims to be a wealthy individual — often travelling or abroad — who will provide a regular 'allowance' in exchange for companionship or messaging.
The scam typically proceeds through a series of small financial hurdles. The 'benefactor' may claim they need the victim to pay a small transfer fee before the allowance can be released, purchase a gift card to test the payment system, or verify their bank account by receiving and forwarding a small test payment — which is actually a fraudulent transfer that exposes the victim to money-mule liability.
No allowance is ever paid to the victim. Each fee or gift card purchased disappears, and when the victim stops complying, the scammer either disappears or escalates to threats.
How this scam works on the Tinder brand
After matching on Tinder, the scammer quickly establishes a generous persona — referencing their business success, property, or travel — and offers the victim an allowance. The amount offered is always enough to be enticing but not implausibly large.
The first obstacle arrives: 'I need to make sure you are real before I send money — please purchase a $50 iTunes gift card and send me the code as proof.' Once that code is provided, new obstacles arise: a 'wire transfer processing fee', an 'international bank charge', or a 'tax clearance fee' that must be paid before the allowance arrives. The cycle continues until the victim refuses or runs out of money.
Some variants instruct the victim to receive a payment into their bank account and forward a portion on — this is money-mule fraud, which can expose the victim to criminal liability even if they did not realise they were facilitating it.
Common red flags
- A profile that offers money, an allowance, or gifts very early in the conversation
- Any request to purchase gift cards and share the codes as part of the arrangement
- A request to receive a payment and forward part of it elsewhere — this is money-mule fraud regardless of context
- The 'benefactor' is always abroad, travelling, or otherwise unable to meet in person
- Escalating fees or charges that must be paid before the promised allowance is released
- Refusal to conduct a live, unscripted video call
How to protect yourself
- Understand that legitimate sugar arrangements do not begin with the recipient paying fees of any kind
- Never purchase gift cards at the request of someone you have not met in person and verified
- Do not receive and forward payments on behalf of someone you met online — this could constitute money laundering
- Report the profile in the Tinder app immediately if you receive a request for gift cards or fees
- If you already sent gift cards or money, contact your bank and report to the FTC
How to report it
- Report the Tinder profile using the in-app report function
- Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- If you forwarded money, contact your bank immediately and explain the circumstances to your fraud team
- Report to IC3.gov if financial loss occurred
Frequently asked questions
Someone on Tinder offered me a monthly allowance. Is this a scam?
Almost certainly. While sugar arrangements exist, legitimate ones do not involve paying fees in advance, purchasing gift cards, or forwarding money. The presence of any such request is a definitive sign of fraud.
I forwarded money at a 'benefactor's' request. Am I in trouble?
Potentially. Forwarding money received from a fraud victim can constitute money mule activity, even if you were deceived. Contact your bank immediately, explain what happened, and consider seeking legal advice.