I sent money to a romance scammer — what should I do now?
Stop all contact immediately, secure your accounts, and report to the FTC and FBI. While financial recovery is difficult, reporting helps investigators and may protect others.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Romance scams involve months or even years of emotional manipulation before a financial request is made. By the time money is sent, many victims feel a genuine emotional bond with a person who does not exist. Recognizing this as a scam can be painful — but stopping the financial loss and protecting your identity are the immediate priorities.
Cut off all contact with the person. Block them on every platform where you communicated. This is difficult but necessary — the scammer may continue to contact you with new stories (needing bail money, a sick relative, a final payment) if the channel remains open. Do not send any more money, no matter how compelling the reason given.
If you shared financial account details, government ID, or passport photos during the relationship, treat your identity as potentially compromised. Contact your bank to discuss the extent of what was shared. Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file. If the scammer has your Social Security Number or similar national ID, the risk of identity theft is significant.
Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov — romance scam reports are actively worked by the FBI's cyber division and have led to arrests. The FTC's database also alerts platforms where scammers operate. Check your bank's policy on romance scam reimbursement — some now treat these as imposter scams and may partially reimburse you.
Common red flags
- Person you met online claims to be abroad working (military, oil rig, doctor on deployment)
- Relationship escalates very quickly with declarations of love within days or weeks
- Person always has an excuse for why they cannot video call or meet in person
- First financial request is for a relatively small emergency to 'test the water'
- Profile photos are very attractive and seem like stock or model images
- Person discourages you from telling friends or family about the relationship
What to do now
- Stop all contact and block the person on every platform
- Do not send any further money regardless of the reason given
- Contact your bank to report any suspicious transfers and discuss what information was shared
- Place a fraud alert on your credit if you shared personal identity documents
- Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- File with the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov
- Consider speaking with a counselor — the emotional impact is real and valid
Frequently asked questions
Is the person I was talking to a real person at all?
Romance scammers typically steal photos from real people's social media profiles. The person in the pictures exists, but has nothing to do with the scammer. You can do a reverse image search to confirm the photos appear elsewhere online.
My bank says the transfer was authorized — can I still get it back?
Some banks classify romance scams as imposter fraud and may reimburse under their scam reimbursement policy, especially if the scammer impersonated a real person or institution. File a formal fraud claim and ask for a review under the bank's scam policy.