Romance Scam Statistics
Reported losses and complaint volumes for romance and confidence scams, drawn from FBI IC3 and FTC official reports.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Romance scams — also called confidence fraud — involve criminals building a false romantic or emotional relationship with a victim in order to extract money or personal information. They are among the most emotionally damaging scam types, and researchers consistently find they are severely under-reported because victims feel shame or simply do not realise they were deceived.
The figures below come from the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center and the FTC Consumer Sentinel Network. Both cover only reported cases in the United States. International data from the ACCC and UK Finance suggest the pattern is consistent across English-speaking countries, though direct comparisons are complicated by different definitions and reporting methods.
Key figures
Over $672 million across nearly 18,000 reports in 2024
Reported losses to confidence/romance scams (US, FBI IC3)
Source: FBI IC3 2024 Annual Internet Crime Report (2024)
9,096 reports in 2024, up from 8,608 in 2023
Dating scam reports received by Action Fraud (UK)
Source: Action Fraud (via RSM UK Freedom of Information request, 2024 data) (2024)
Key takeaways
- According to the FBI IC3, nearly 18,000 US victims reported romance/confidence scam losses totalling over $672 million in 2024.
- Romance scams often evolve into investment or cryptocurrency fraud — the criminal first builds trust, then introduces a fake investment opportunity.
- Older adults are disproportionately targeted; the FBI reports that people over 60 account for a large share of romance-scam losses.
- Because of stigma and embarrassment, romance scams are believed to be one of the most under-reported fraud categories.
Frequently asked questions
Are romance scam losses growing?
According to the FBI IC3, reported romance/confidence scam losses increased slightly (3%) between 2023 and 2024, though other fraud categories such as investment fraud grew faster. The IC3 notes that romance scams frequently evolve into cryptocurrency investment fraud.
Why do romance scam figures vary so much between sources?
Different agencies use different category definitions. The FBI IC3 groups romance scams under 'confidence fraud/romance,' while the FTC may record the same incident under a different category if it also involved a fake investment. Victim overlap across agencies further complicates comparisons.
Are romance scams under-reported?
Yes — significantly. Victims often feel shame or disbelief and do not report to any authority. Law enforcement and academic researchers consistently estimate that official figures represent only a small fraction of actual incidents.
What is 'pig butchering' and how does it relate to romance scams?
Pig butchering (sha zhu pan) is a variant of romance fraud in which criminals build a fake relationship over weeks or months before steering the victim into a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platform. The FBI IC3 specifically highlighted this tactic in its 2024 report as a major driver of investment fraud losses.