How do scams work on dating apps?
Dating app scams build romantic trust over days or weeks before pivoting to financial requests — emergency loans, investment platforms, or gift-card payments — exploiting the emotional connection that has been created.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Dating app fraud exploits the platform's purpose: people are there specifically to trust strangers and form connections. Scammers invest real time in building a convincing relationship, often maintaining believable personas for weeks before any money request arises. This makes dating app scams among the highest-average-loss fraud types reported to consumer protection agencies.
The most destructive variant is pig-butchering fraud (sometimes called "sha zhu pan"), where the scammer — often working from a scripted operation — builds a romantic connection and then casually mentions they know a reliable crypto trading platform. They walk the victim through making initial deposits that appear to grow, encouraging progressively larger investments over weeks. When the victim tries to withdraw, they are told taxes or fees must be paid, and the platform is eventually shut down.
Catfishing for money is an older pattern: the fraudster uses stolen photos of an attractive person, builds emotional intimacy, then claims a crisis — medical emergency, travel problem, legal trouble — and asks for wire transfers or gift cards. They never agree to video calls or in-person meetings, citing technical problems or circumstances.
Account takeover phishing also occurs: a fake match sends a link to "a better app" or to verify your photos, which is actually a credential-harvesting page. Protecting yourself requires patience, scepticism about video-call avoidance, and treating any financial request — however small or sympathetic — as a near-certain scam.
Common red flags
- Match refuses video calls or consistently cancels in-person meeting plans
- Profile photos look like a professional model and reverse image search shows them elsewhere
- Conversation moves very quickly to strong affection and exclusive focus on you
- Match mentions a profitable investment or trading platform they use and encourages you to try it
- Any request for money, gift cards, crypto, or wire transfer regardless of the reason given
- Story involves military deployment, working abroad on an oil rig, or medical work overseas
- Match asks you to move communication to WhatsApp or email away from the dating app
What to do now
- Video call before investing any emotional energy — a real person will agree to this early on
- Reverse image search profile photos using Google Images or TinEye
- Never send money, gift cards, or crypto to someone you have not met in person
- Report suspicious profiles in-app and to the dating platform's trust team
- If a match pushes a trading platform, search the platform name plus "scam" or "withdrawal issues"
- Talk to a trusted friend or family member about the relationship — outside perspective catches red flags you might miss
- Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov if you have already sent money
Frequently asked questions
How long do dating app scammers typically spend building trust?
Pig-butchering scammers may spend two weeks to three months building rapport before introducing financial topics. The length of the relationship does not make it genuine — it is part of the method.
What if the person I matched with did a video call — does that prove they are real?
Not necessarily. Scammers use pre-recorded videos, deepfake tools, or pay real individuals to appear on video briefly. Short, scripted video calls with poor quality or excuses about camera problems should still raise concern if financial requests follow.
Can dating apps do more to prevent these scams?
Platforms are improving with AI-based photo verification and behavioural monitoring, but determined scammers adapt quickly. User vigilance, especially the refusal to send any money to an online match, remains the most reliable defence.