Romance and dating scams by the numbers
Reported US figures heading into 2026 — government fraud data and published industry surveys. The totals are floors, not ceilings: these crimes are heavily under-reported.
| Figure | What it measures | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $823M | US romance-scam losses reported in 2024 | FTC Consumer Sentinel |
| $1.14B | US romance-scam losses reported in 2023 | FTC |
| $672M | Confidence/romance-fraud losses across 17,910 reports, 2024 | FBI IC3 |
| $2,000 | Median reported loss per romance-scam victim, 2023 | FTC |
| ~$37.5K | Average loss per victim in FBI complaints, 2024 | FBI IC3 |
| 52% | Online daters who think they have encountered a scammer | Pew Research, 2023 |
Figures are reported third-party statistics (US FTC consumer-fraud reporting and published industry surveys), summarized here for reference. They describe the scam landscape, not OffenderSearch data.
What romance scam statistics say about online dating
Hundreds of millions of dollars a year, across two separate federal datasets, is not a fringe problem — it is a normal part of the online-dating experience now. FTC-reported losses eased from $1.14 billion in 2023 to $823 million in 2024, but the totals are floors, not ceilings: romance-scam victims report at far lower rates than other fraud victims out of embarrassment, so the true numbers are higher. And the harm is concentrated — older adults are much more likely than younger adults to lose money to a romance scam, with median losses among the oldest victims running into the thousands. The pattern is consistent: a fast emotional bond, a reason never to meet, and eventually a request for money.
Why reported romance scam losses understate the problem
The two federal datasets measure different things. The FTC’s figure comes from consumer fraud reports filed with its Consumer Sentinel network; the FBI’s comes from complaints filed with the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Some victims report to one, some to both, and most to neither — so neither total is a count of all romance scams, and the two shouldn’t be added together.
The gap between the median and the average tells its own story. The FTC’s median loss of about $2,000 means half of reporting victims lost less than that. The FBI’s average near $37,500 is pulled up by a smaller number of victims who lose very large sums — often savings or retirement money, over months. Romance scams are not one-off thefts; the biggest losses come from relationships that run long enough for the requests to grow.
A year-over-year drop in reported losses is not proof of fewer scams. Reporting rates, how agencies categorize a case and the mix of payment methods all move the totals. The safer reading is that the scale has stayed in the hundreds of millions of dollars a year in both datasets.
How a romance scam unfolds, stage by stage
1. First contact
A match on a dating app, or an unexpected message on social media. The profile is attractive, often with a job that explains travel or distance — military, offshore work, overseas contracting.
2. A fast bond
Constant attention and strong feelings within days. The goal is trust before any doubt sets in.
3. Moving off the app
A push to WhatsApp, Telegram or text, away from the platform’s reporting and safety tools.
4. Reasons never to meet
Video calls fail, trips are cancelled, emergencies come up. The meeting is always just about to happen.
5. The request
A crisis — a medical bill, a customs fee, a frozen account — or an “investment opportunity”, paid in gift cards, crypto or a wire.
6. Repeat until it stops
Each payment is followed by another problem. The scam continues until the victim stops paying or realizes what is happening.
How romance scammers take money, and where contact starts
The FTC’s breakdown of romance-scam reports shows a consistent playbook in how victims are asked to pay and where scammers first make contact.
How to protect yourself from a romance scam before you meet
- Run a dating background check. Confirm the name against 58 US sex offender registries and criminal records — how to check a date.
- Insist on a live video call. Scammers avoid real-time video; a refusal is a decisive signal.
- Never send money or gift cards. No genuine partner you have not met needs a wire transfer.
- Check again. A Background Check ($9.99) takes the name plus where the person lives or works and searches the registries and criminal records in those states.
What to do if you think you’re being romance scammed
- Stop sending money, however urgent the story. A real partner will understand.
- Call your bank or card issuer right away about any transfer, and the gift card company about any cards you bought — the sooner, the better the chance of stopping a payment.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI at ic3.gov. Those reports are what the statistics above are built from.
- Report the profile to the dating app or social platform where contact started.
- Watch for “recovery” offers. People promising to get your money back for a fee are often a second scam.
Romance scams target everyone, but the losses fall hardest on older adults. If you are worried about a parent or relative, the same steps apply — and our guide to checking a dating app match is a gentle place to start the conversation.
Romance scam statistics: FAQ
How much do romance scams cost victims?
The FTC reported $823 million in US romance-scam losses in 2024 (down from $1.14 billion in 2023), and the FBI’s IC3 logged $672 million across 17,910 confidence-fraud complaints in 2024 — an average near $37,500 per victim. The 2023 FTC median loss was about $2,000. Because these crimes are heavily under-reported, the true totals are higher than any published figure.
How common are dating scams?
Pew Research found that 52% of US online daters think they have encountered a scammer on a dating site or app — higher among younger men. Online dating is mainstream, and so, now, is the fraud that rides on it.
What are the biggest red flags?
Refusing to meet or video-call, professing love unusually fast, pushing the conversation off the dating app to WhatsApp or Telegram within a few messages, and — the decisive one — asking for money or gift cards. Off-platform-contact pressure is the fastest-growing red flag category.
How do I protect myself?
Verify before you meet: confirm the name against the sex offender registries and criminal records, insist on a live video call, and never send money. A dating background check confirms the identity and history you were given are real, and a person monitor keeps watching after the first date.
Who is most at risk of a romance scam?
Anyone can be targeted, but older adults are much more likely than younger adults to lose money to a romance scam, and their losses tend to be larger. Pew found younger men among the most likely to say they had encountered a scammer.
Where do I report a romance scam?
To the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov, plus the app or platform where contact started. Call your bank first if money has just been sent.
Standard OffenderSearch results are not a consumer report. Use them for personal safety only.
Check before you meet
Run a Background Check — $9.99, paid once — on their name plus where they live or work, across 58 US registries and criminal records.