Romance Scam & Online Dating Fraud Statistics (2026)

Romance scams have become a growing form of online fraud, combining emotional manipulation with increasingly sophisticated financial schemes. Criminals use dating apps, social media, messaging platforms and other online channels to create fake identities, build trust and eventually persuade victims to send money or make investments. 

FBI data show that 23,159 romance scam complaints and $929.3 million in reported losses were recorded in 2025, while AARP research highlights significant underreporting among adults aged 50 and older. 

This article examines the latest Romance Scam & Online Dating Fraud Statistics, including trends in complaints and financial losses, victims by age, common scam methods, payment methods, cryptocurrency and pig-butchering schemes, AI-related fraud, and more. 

Key Romance Scam and Online Dating Fraud Stats

• 23,159 romance scam complaints were reported to the FBI’s IC3 in 2025, up approximately 30% from 17,823 in 2023.
• $929.3 million in romance scam losses were reported in 2025, up 42.4% from $652.5 million in 2023.
• 3,745 complaints were recorded among adults aged 50 to 59, the highest figure among the age groups shown.
• Nearly 1 in 10 adults aged 50+ experienced an online romantic approach that led to a request for money or cryptocurrency investment.
• 16% of adults said they or someone they know had lost money to a romance scam.
• 55% of romance scam incidents were not reported, highlighting the scale of underreporting.
• 45% of adults aged 50+ said they did not feel knowledgeable about romance scam tactics.
• Nearly 60% of people who reported losing money to a romance scam in 2025 said the scam began on social media.

Romance Scam Reports and Losses Over Time

Romance scams have become increasingly costly in the United States, with both reported complaints and financial losses rising in recent years. FBI IC3 data show that complaints increased from 17,823 in 2023 to 23,159 in 2025, while reported losses climbed from $652.5 million to $929.3 million. The faster growth in financial losses highlights the increasing economic impact of romance fraud on victims.

Romance Scam Complaints Increased 30% From 2023 to 2025

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) data show that the number of reported romance scam complaints remained relatively stable between 2023 and 2024 before rising sharply in 2025.

The number of reported complaints increased only slightly from 17,823 in 2023 to 17,910 in 2024, a rise of less than 1%. In 2025, however, complaints increased to 23,159, representing a 29.3% increase from the previous year. Overall, the number of complaints rose by approximately 30% between 2023 and 2025.

Source: Internet Crime Complaint Centre

Romance Scam Losses Reached $929.3 Million in 2025

Financial losses increased more sharply than the number of complaints during the same period. Reported losses rose from $652.5 million in 2023 to $672.0 million in 2024, an increase of approximately 3.0%. The increase was much larger in 2025, when reported losses reached $929.3 million, up approximately 38.3% from 2024.

Source: Internet Crime Complaint Centre

Overall, reported romance scam losses increased by approximately 42.4% between 2023 and 2025, compared with a roughly 30% increase in complaints. This faster growth in losses indicates that the financial impact per reported complaint also increased over the period.

The FBI figures reflect only complaints submitted to IC3 and therefore do not represent the full scale of romance fraud in the United States. Many scams go unreported, meaning the actual number of victims and total amount lost may be substantially higher.

Romance Scam and Online Dating Fraud Victims by Age

Romance scams affect adults of different ages, but older adults face a notable risk of financial exploitation through online relationships. AARP research found that nearly 1 in 10 adults aged 50 and older had experienced an online romantic approach that eventually involved a request for money or an invitation to invest in cryptocurrency. The findings also highlight high levels of underreporting and limited awareness of common scam tactics.

Romance Scam Complaints Reached 3,745 Among Adults Ages 50 to 59

Romance scam complaints increased steadily across the age groups shown, with the 50 to 59 age group recording the highest number of complaints at 3,745. This was followed by adults aged 40 to 49 with 3,010 complaints and those aged 30 to 39 with 2,501 complaints. 

People aged 20 to 29 recorded 1,886 complaints, while those under 20 had the fewest, at 393 complaints. Overall, the data show a clear increase in reported romance scams with age, with the number of complaints among adults aged 50 to 59 being nearly 9.5 times higher than among people under 20.

Source: Internet Crime Complaint Centre

Nearly 1 in 10 Adults Over 50 Experienced a Suspicious Romantic Approach

Nearly 10% of adults aged 50 and older said they had experienced an online romantic approach that eventually led to a request for money or encouragement to invest in cryptocurrency. The finding shows how scammers can use online dating and relationship-building to establish trust before seeking financial assistance.

Adults Ages 50 to 64 Face More Than Twice the Exposure

Adults aged 50 to 64 were more than twice as likely as those aged 65 and older to encounter an online romantic approach that resulted in a request for money or cryptocurrency investment. Greater online activity among people in this age group may contribute to their higher exposure to potential romance scams.

16% Reported a Romance Scam Loss Within Their Social Circle

One in six adults (16%) said that they or someone they know had lost money to a romance scam. This figure illustrates the broader financial impact of romance fraud, which can affect victims as well as people in their families and social networks.

55% of Romance Scam Incidents Were Not Reported

More than half (55%) of romance scam incidents were not reported. This high level of underreporting means official complaint figures may capture only part of the problem. Fear, embarrassment and concerns about being blamed can make victims less likely to report financial fraud.

45% of Adults 50+ Are Not Confident They Know Scam Tactics

45% of adults aged 50 and older said they do not feel knowledgeable about the tactics used by scammers. Limited awareness can make it more difficult to identify warning signs, especially when criminals use fake identities, fabricated personal stories and emotional manipulation to build relationships.

Social Media Has Become a Major Gateway for Romance Scams

Romance scams no longer begin exclusively on dating websites. While dating apps remain an important entry point, social media has become a major gateway for romance fraud. FTC data show that nearly 60% of people who reported losing money to a romance scam in 2025 said the scam started on social media.

The broader growth of social-media fraud also shows how large the problem has become. Consumers reported losing $2.1 billion to scams that originated on social media in 2025, compared with $261 million in 2020. That represents an increase of roughly eight times in five years. Facebook recorded the highest total reported social-media scam losses in 2025, followed by WhatsApp and Instagram.

Common Online Entry Points for Romance Scams

Romance scammers can approach potential victims through several types of online platforms and communication channels:

• Facebook and Instagram: Scammers may use profiles, direct messages and publicly available information to identify potential targets and create personalized approaches.
• Dating apps: Criminals can create fake profiles and establish romantic relationships before introducing financial requests.
• WhatsApp and other messaging apps: Scammers often try to move conversations to private messaging after making initial contact elsewhere.
• Telegram and similar platforms: Private messaging services can provide scammers with greater control over their communication with victims.
• “Wrong number” messages: A message that appears to have been sent to the wrong person can be used as an opening to start a conversation.
• Professional networking platforms: Scammers may use professional information to create more convincing identities and establish credibility.
• Online communities and gaming platforms: Social interactions in online communities can also provide opportunities for criminals to build relationships with potential victims.

A common pattern is for scammers to move the conversation away from the original platform and into private messaging after establishing initial contact. This can reduce the visibility of the interaction and make it harder for friends, family members or platform moderators to notice suspicious behavior.

The Typical Pattern of a Romance Scam

Romance scams generally develop through a series of steps rather than an immediate request for money. The scammer first creates a convincing identity and then spends time developing an emotional connection with the target. According to the FTC’s identified patterns, the process commonly includes:

• Creating a fake identity: The scammer uses stolen or AI-generated photographs and a fabricated personal history to appear genuine.
• Moving the conversation elsewhere: The scammer often tries to move the victim away from the dating platform and into private messaging.
• Building emotional trust: Frequent messages, compliments and conversations about future plans are used to create the appearance of a genuine relationship.
• Creating distance: The scammer may claim to live overseas, work remotely, serve in the military or have another reason for being unable to meet in person.
• Introducing a crisis or financial opportunity: Once trust has been established, the scammer may introduce medical expenses, travel problems, family emergencies or an investment opportunity as a reason for requesting money.
• Increasing the amount requested: After the victim sends money, the scammer may introduce additional emergencies, fees or investment opportunities and request further payments.

The FTC also warns that scammers may discuss marriage or long-term plans before asking for money, making the relationship appear more serious and genuine.

Cryptocurrency and Pig-Butchering Scams

One of the major developments in online dating fraud is the growth of romance-investment scams, often called pig-butchering scams. These scams combine emotional manipulation with fake investment opportunities to persuade victims to send increasingly large amounts of money.

The FBI describes cryptocurrency investment fraud as a sophisticated form of fraud that can continue for a long time. Scammers use psychological manipulation, fake investment platforms and cryptocurrency to convince victims that they are making legitimate investments. In 2025, cryptocurrency investment fraud resulted in $7.2 billion in reported losses, making it the largest category of financial losses reported to the FBI’s IC3.

How Pig-Butchering Scams Typically Work

A typical scam can follow this pattern:

Online contact → emotional relationship → investment discussion → small investment → fake profits → larger deposits → withdrawal problem → additional fees → scammer disappears

The victim may initially see an investment account showing profits. However, these profits are usually fake and controlled by the scammer. The account is designed to make the victim believe that the investment is successful and encourage them to deposit more money.

According to the FBI, scammers may first contact victims through text messages, social media, advertisements or dating apps. They then often move the conversation to another messaging platform. After gaining the victim’s trust, the scammer may introduce a fake investment opportunity or add the victim to a fraudulent investment group.

The victim may be allowed to make a small withdrawal at first or see growing profits on the fake platform. This can create confidence in the scheme and encourage larger deposits. When the victim later tries to withdraw the money, the scammer may demand taxes, processing charges or other fees. Once the victim stops sending money, the scammer may disappear.

GASO has also documented the wider criminal ecosystem behind these operations, including scam compounds and human trafficking used to supply forced labor for online fraud operations.

AI Is Making Romance Scams More Convincing

Artificial intelligence is adding another layer to online dating fraud by making fake identities and communications easier to create. The FBI recorded 626 confidence and romance complaints with an identified AI connection in 2025, involving more than $19 million in reported losses. Scammers can use AI to:

• Create realistic dating profiles that appear authentic.
• Generate convincing photographs for fake identities.
• Write personalized messages at scale and maintain conversations with multiple victims.
• Translate conversations between different languages.
• Manage multiple fake identities at the same time.
• Create convincing investment explanations to make fraudulent opportunities appear legitimate.
• Generate fake documents and credentials to support fabricated identities.
• Support voice and video impersonation to make interactions appear more genuine.

Across all crime categories, the FBI recorded more than 22,000 complaints involving AI-related information in 2025, with adjusted losses exceeding $893 million.

AI does not create the underlying fraud. Instead, it can make existing scam methods faster, more convincing and easier to operate at a larger scale. Criminals can use the technology to create realistic content, respond to victims more quickly and manage multiple fraudulent relationships at the same time.

How Romance Scammers Get Paid

Romance scammers usually choose payment methods that are fast, difficult to reverse and harder to recover. Once a victim sends the money, recovering it can be difficult, especially when the payment is made through cryptocurrency or other irreversible methods. Common payment methods used in romance scams and online dating frauds are:

Cryptocurrency Has Become a Major Payment Method

Cryptocurrency has become an important payment method in romance scams, particularly in scams that combine romantic relationships with fake investment opportunities.

FTC data show that consumers reported sending $139 million in cryptocurrency to romance scammers in 2021. The median reported cryptocurrency loss was nearly $10,000, showing how costly these scams can be for individual victims.

Bank transfers and cryptocurrency have also emerged as major sources of financial losses across different types of fraud. Their speed and, in some cases, limited ability to reverse transactions make them attractive to scammers.

Romance Scam Red Flags

Romance scammers often use similar tactics to gain trust and eventually ask for money or personal information. Recognizing these warning signs early can help prevent financial loss. Warning Signs to Watch For:

• They always have a reason they cannot meet: The person repeatedly gives excuses for why they cannot meet you in person, even after spending a long time communicating online.
• The relationship becomes intense very quickly: They may quickly express strong feelings, talk about marriage or discuss a future together before you have met in person.
• They ask you to leave the dating platform: Scammers often try to move conversations to private messaging apps where their activity may be less visible.
• They suddenly need money: An unexpected medical bill, travel problem, family emergency or other crisis may be used as a reason to request money.
• They encourage you to invest: Be especially careful if someone you met online starts giving you investment advice, particularly about cryptocurrency or other high-risk investments.
• Promises guaranteed profits: Promises of guaranteed or unusually high returns are a major warning sign. Legitimate investments always involve some level of risk.
• Their photos or personal information do not match: A reverse-image search may show that their photographs belong to someone else or appear on other websites under different names.
• They ask for difficult-to-recover payments: Requests for cryptocurrency, gift cards, cash or wire transfers should raise concern because these payments can be difficult to reverse.
• They tell you to keep the relationship secret: A scammer may discourage you from talking to friends or family and claim that other people do not understand your relationship.

The FTC advises people not to send money or gifts to an online romantic interest they have never met in person. It also recommends talking with someone you trust, independently checking information about the person’s claimed occupation and conducting a reverse-image search of their photographs.

How to Protect Yourself From Online Dating Fraud

A few simple precautions can reduce the risk of becoming a romance scam victim.

• Verify information before trusting someone: Search the person’s name, photographs, occupation and other important claims independently. Do not rely only on information provided by the person.
• Keep relationships and financial decisions separate: Never allow someone you met online to manage your investments or tell you where to send your money.
• Talk to someone you trust: Discuss the relationship with a friend or family member. Someone outside the relationship may notice warning signs or inconsistencies that are difficult to recognize yourself.
• Limit the personal information you share online: Avoid making sensitive information about your income, family, travel plans or personal relationships publicly available on social media.
• Never invest because of a romantic partner’s recommendation: Do not send cryptocurrency or transfer money to an investment platform recommended by someone you have only met online.
• Act quickly if you have already sent money: Contact your bank, card provider, payment service or cryptocurrency exchange as soon as possible. You should also report the fraud to the relevant platform and the appropriate authorities.

FAQs

1. How much money is lost to romance scams?

The FTC reported approximately $1.48 billion in romance-scam losses in 2025, a 22% increase from the previous year. The FBI separately recorded $929.3 million in confidence/romance losses through IC3 in 2025. These figures should not be combined because the agencies use different reporting systems.

2. Who is most at risk of romance scams?

People of every age and gender can become victims. Older adults often experience the largest financial losses, while younger adults can be heavily targeted by social-media and cryptocurrency investment scams. AARP found that adults aged 50–64 were more than twice as likely as adults 65+ to report an online romantic approach that led to a money or cryptocurrency request.

3. What is a pig-butchering scam?

A pig-butchering scam combines relationship-building with investment fraud. The scammer develops trust over time and then persuades the victim to invest in a fake cryptocurrency or trading platform. Fake profits encourage the victim to deposit more money before the scammer ultimately blocks withdrawals or disappears.

4. Are romance scams only found on dating apps?

No, social media is now a major source of romance scams. Nearly 60% of people who reported losing money to a romance scam to the FTC in 2025 said the scam started on social media.

5. What is the biggest warning sign?

A request for money from someone you have never met in person is one of the clearest warning signs. Investment requests are particularly dangerous because they can turn a relatively small romance scam into a major financial loss. The FTC advises consumers never to send money or gifts to an online love interest they have not met in person.

6. Should romance scams be reported even if no money was lost?

Yes, reporting can help platforms, financial institutions and law enforcement identify patterns and connect cases. The FBI specifically encourages people to report suspected cryptocurrency scams even when no financial loss occurred.

7. Where can victims report a romance scam?

In the United States, victims can report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission and submit internet-crime complaints to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Victims should also notify the dating app or social-media platform where the relationship began and contact their financial institution immediately if money was sent.

Conclusion

Romance fraud is likely to become more advanced as scammers use new technologies and online platforms. Social media, cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence are giving criminals more ways to create fake identities, gain trust and target victims. 

Rising losses and high levels of underreporting also suggest that the true impact is larger than official statistics show. Greater awareness, stronger security measures on online platforms, faster detection of fake accounts and better reporting can help reduce these scams. As scammers continue to change their methods, checking someone’s identity, keeping financial decisions independent and reporting fraud quickly will remain important ways to protect against online dating fraud.