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Online dating scams happen when criminals and con artists create fake online identities to gain your trust and affection. Once that’s established, the scammers use this romantic illusion to manipulate and steal from you. No matter what the reasons are for using dating apps, anyone can be at risk of getting scammed.
However, there are ways to use these dating apps without getting scammed. We’ll cover the most common scams and how they work so that you can avoid becoming a con artist’s next victim, as well as how the best identity theft protection can keep your digital data safe and secure.
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Online dating scams work because the criminals who carry them out are experts who practice their craft frequently. Their intention is to connect with you and establish an online relationship quickly by appearing genuine and endearing.
These criminals create fake profiles and may use photos that they find online to convince you of their appearance. They also use social engineering to manipulate you into divulging personal information.
Online dating scams target 55- to 64-year-olds more than any other age range. And men are more likely to fall victim to online dating schemes than women. It's guesstimated that Americans lose more than $1 billion every year due to dating scams, which Congress is addressing as the "romance scam epidemic."
There are many online dating scams, but we’ll cover the 13 most common romance scams.
One sign of trouble is that your romantic interest seems to live far away or is unavailable to meet in person. The scammer may claim to be stationed overseas for work. This tactic conveniently allows for no in-person meetings. You may text or email, but that’s usually the extent of the communication. If your love interest isn't even available for a phone chat or Facetime, beware.
This type of scam is also called an "oil rig scam," as potential beaus pose as oil rig workers to explain why they can't be there to kiss you goodnight. Ultimately, your long-distance love falls on hard times and requests you send money for some emergency. A good rule of thumb is that if someone asks you for money, they are scamming you.
The people behind the fake dating profiles think nothing of taking your money and disappearing. Some scammers may ask for a wire transfer so they can get the money sooner, but they also know those are hard, if not impossible, to trace.
If your online suitor asks you for money before you even meet, that’s a red flag for a dating scam. The romance scammer may ask you to send money for various reasons, like travel expenses or sudden medical emergencies. You’ll get a good sob story that may tug at your heartstrings, but beware of these online dating scams.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security measure that provides an extra layer of online protection. Scammers are now using dating sites to trick you into giving them your codes. The person will start a relationship with you and then complain that one of their accounts isn’t working. They’ll ask if they can send their 2FA code to you. Once you let them know the code, you’re actually providing them access to your accounts. To prevent identity theft, never share a 2FA code with anyone else.
NordPass is a secure password manager that bypasses two-factor authentication for multi-factor authentication and biometric verification. This password manager has all the bells and whistles, including password sharing, password generator, auto-fill, password health report, digital legacy, and notably above-average encryption, XChaCha20.
Catfishing is when someone takes information and pictures from others and uses them to create a fake identity. And with the prevalence of AI these days, it's not hard to create entire personas out of thin air. The swindler will use that faux identity to trick you into communicating with them.
The dangers of catfishing can be more than financial loss. Many victims end up feeling betrayed, which can cause depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns.
With these scams, the romantic interest will gain your trust and then try to get your personal information. That could include anything from passwords to banking details. They may also send you a link to another app or service they claim to want you to try out. This can often be a ploy to get you to download malware or provide them with your financial data. Remember, even innocuous personal details like the name of your first pet or the street you grew up on can be used to access your financial accounts. If someone asks you random questions that you'd typically see as security questions, take pause.
Sextortion is when a scammer blackmails you by threatening to share videos, images, or other information about your sexual preferences unless you pay money or engage in sexual activity. A common technique of the criminal is threatening to share your sexual content with your family members or friends.
One way to prevent a doxxer from obtaining your personal info is to never share your phone number, address, or email with someone you've just met. Another way is to scrub the internet clean of your personal data with a cybersecurity suite like Aura, which includes identity theft protection and data removal services.
When looking for romance online, you should beware of fake online dating sites like Dateyou.com. These sites will charge you for messages, but you’ll never meet the person behind the sweet words.
Under the terms section of the site, it even expresses the use of animators and operators for your entertainment. It goes on to let you know that real meetings are not possible with these operators. If you read closely, the wording shows that this is likely a scam.
These scams typically include links or attachments that take you to another website that contains malware. You’ll get a virus or other malware installed on your device.
With this online romance scam, your match may exchange several messages with you and then offer more information on their personal page or a fake social media profile page. The goal of this online dating scam is to steal your personal data. These fraudsters get you to trust them and relay more of your information. Always be wary of bad actors who try to move communications from one platform to another.
A money mule is a recruit who helps launder money online. As a mule, you’ll add a layer of distance between the criminals and the victims. Often with online dating scams, participants are unaware they’re helping criminals.
If you get asked to receive money and then forward the funds to others, that’s a red flag. You should never accept money from someone you don’t know, and you shouldn’t send money to strangers.
With an inheritance scam, your love interest may tell you that you can claim part of an inheritance, but you must give your bank account or credit card information in return. The scammer may claim to need some money for administrative fees, which may not sound like an extravagant amount. Once the criminal gets your financial information, you could lose everything in your account.
One of the dangers of catfishing is the use of photo scams. You may get a match on the dating site and think you’ve met your soulmate. The photos will make you feel the person on the other end of the email is legitimate by sending you pictures.
These scam artists steal photos they find online. Some will even use photos with children to appear to be family-oriented. Sometimes, these scammers will photoshop their faces onto another picture. You may get pictures of professionals, like doctors, to show more credibility.
There are also scams where the con artist will entice you to give up personal details in exchange for an intimate photo. That can often lead to financial fraud once you’ve revealed enough information.
This online dating scam uses flattery to make you feel good before you get conned. The crypto scammers may spend weeks or months grooming you before they bring up cryptocurrency investment. They’ll tell you about all the potential it brings. Again, they use social engineering to target victims. Before long, you may be investing your money into coins controlled by con artists. Once they get your money, they’ll disappear and leave you with worthless tokens.
A Tinder phone number scam happens when the person you’ve met on Tinder asks you to make a call or text a specific number. You’ll also be asked for your phone number. You may be told it is urgent to get you to call soon.
Once you give in and make the call, the scammer has your number and can use it to steal your information and sell it for other scams. You may even be subscribed to ads and adult websites. Sometimes, the person will pretend to be in distress and claim to need money for something crucial, like rent.
Is it possible to find love online? Sure, as long as you take some precautions along the way. If you’re dealing with an online dating scam, you’ll notice these warning signs at some point. You should cut off any communication when you see any of them because you’re likely dealing with a swindler. Here are some red flags to look out for when using an online dating app:
Dating scams are scary for several reasons, one of which is the chance someone could get close to you and try to steal your identity or hack into your bank account. Thankfully, you can protect your personal info and private accounts before you even sign up for a dating app. The best identity theft protection services monitor your bank accounts, credit cards, and even social media and the dark web to ensure your personal info isn't being used by someone else.
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| Price | Starts at $9.00/mo (billed annually) | Starts at $7.50/mo for first yr (billed annually) | Starts at $8.99/mo |
| # of people covered | 1 - 5 adults, unlimited children | 1 - 2 adults, up 5 children | 1 - 5 adults, unlimited children |
| Types of identity monitoring | Identity and SSN, account breach, home and auto title, criminal and court records | Identity and SSN, dark web, phone takeover, home title, social media | Dark web, high-risk, bank account, social media, credit and debit card |
| ID theft insurance | Up to $1 million | Up to $1.05 million through $3 million, depending on plan | Up to $1 million |
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| Details | Get Aura | Get LifeLock | Get Identity Guard |
The main signs of an online dating scammer will include rushing you into a relationship, asking for sensitive information, and sending you a link to another website.
You can spot a fake dating profile by noticing one that is too good to be true, has limited photos, is too flirtatious at first, and seems automated in conversations.
While all dating sites may contain fake profiles, it’s rare that a scammer will call you via video. The entire purpose of the scam is to trick you into believing you’re communicating with a romantic interest, not someone who is the opposite of a love connection and only wants to get your data to steal your money.
Although online dating scams are prevalent, you can still enjoy these sites and meet some great people. Being able to recognize the red flags — such as requests for money, being sent links to other websites, and attempts to get your personal information too soon — will help you have a safer online experience.
Online dating is a popular way to meet people with the same interests as you. Using caution will help ensure you aren’t the victim of a catfishing scam. We also suggest using at least basic identity theft protection to help monitor your online accounts and block phishing attempts — some of the best ID theft protection services also help you recover if you're a victim of identity theft or fraud.
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