How do scammers target people using online dating platforms?
Online daters are targeted with romance scams that build emotional dependency over weeks before requesting money, gifts, or crypto investment, exploiting loneliness and the trust formed through sustained personal communication.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Romance scammers invest significant time creating a compelling persona — often using stolen photos of an attractive professional, military officer, or doctor working abroad. The relationship progresses rapidly: declarations of love come within days or weeks, future plans are discussed, and the target is made to feel uniquely understood and valued. This emotional investment is the foundation of the scam.
The money request always follows a crisis: a medical emergency, a business deal gone wrong, a flight home that falls through, or a customs fee holding a valuable package. The amounts start small and escalate. Each successful request signals the scammer that more can be extracted. Sums in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars are not unusual in extended cases.
More recently, romance scammers pivot to cryptocurrency investment (pig butchering): the romantic partner introduces a 'trading tip' and a platform. Victims believe they are making investment decisions independently, not realizing the platform and the relationship are both fraudulent.
Platform safety features — video call verification, identity checks, in-app payment blocking — reduce but do not eliminate risk. The strongest protection is a personal rule: never send money or gifts to someone you have not met in person, regardless of how compelling the story or relationship feels.
Common red flags
- Profile photo returns results from other social media profiles under a different name
- Relationship escalates unusually fast with early declarations of love
- Person is always 'abroad' — deployed, working on an oil rig, or on a medical mission
- Every attempt to meet in person is canceled by an emergency
- Requests money, gift cards, or crypto for an urgent and sympathetic-sounding crisis
- Introduces an investment platform and encourages you to deposit funds
What to do now
- Reverse image search every profile photo before investing emotional energy in the conversation
- Video call early; a scammer will find reasons to avoid appearing on camera
- Apply a firm personal rule: no money, no gift cards, no crypto for someone you have not met in person
- Tell a trusted friend about the person and take their reaction seriously
- Report suspicious profiles to the dating platform using its built-in reporting tool
- Report romance scam attempts to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
Frequently asked questions
Can someone be a scammer if we have video-called?
Yes. Deepfake technology allows scammers to animate a stolen photo in real time during video calls. Signs of deepfaking include slight visual lag, unnatural blinking, distorted edges around the face, and reluctance to move freely on camera. Insist on spontaneous actions like holding up a piece of paper with your name written on it.
Should I feel embarrassed if I was targeted by a romance scam?
No. Romance scammers are professional psychological manipulators who often operate in organized teams. Being targeted reflects nothing about your intelligence or worth. Reporting the experience helps protect others and is the right response.