Last verified: September 12, 2026. Figures below are cross-checked against at least two independent sources and attributed to their original data — FTC and FBI figures cover different time windows and shouldn’t be added together.
The short answer: romance scams cost Americans well over a billion dollars a year, and the tell-tale signs show up long before anyone asks for money — a match who avoids video calls, pushes the conversation off the app fast, and eventually needs cash for a “emergency” or a crypto opportunity. The best protection combines the verification tools now built into Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble with a handful of habits you control yourself: video-chat before meeting, never send money to someone you haven’t met in person, and talk to a friend before you get in too deep.
How Common Are Dating App Scams, Really? (2026 Numbers)
Two U.S. agencies track this from different angles, and their numbers aren’t directly comparable — but both point the same direction.
According to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Sentinel data reported in February 2026, people filed 55,604 romance scam reports in just the first nine months of 2025, totaling $1.16 billion in losses — a 22% jump in report volume over the same period in 2024. The median individual loss in the third quarter of 2025 alone was $2,218, based on roughly 11,200 reports totaling $398 million. That FTC figure is corroborated by two independent outlets (a consumer news report and a dating-industry trade publication) that separately cite the same underlying Consumer Sentinel data.
Separately, the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report (IC3) — which uses its own complaint database and covers the full calendar year — recorded $929 million in confidence/romance fraud losses for 2025, ranking it among the five costliest fraud categories the FBI tracks. The report also flagged that romance scams targeting older adults rose 30% year over year, and that adults 60 and older lost $7.7 billion to fraud of all kinds in 2025 — up 37% from 2024, per the FBI’s own April 2026 announcement.
Where do these scams start? In an April 2026 press release, the FTC said nearly 60% of people who reported romance scam losses in 2025 said the scam began on a social media platform, not necessarily a dating app itself — a reminder that “dating app safety” really means being careful with anyone you meet online, wherever the first message came from.
For broader context on the dating experience itself: in Pew Research Center’s most recent survey on this topic (February 2023, American Trends Panel), 48% of U.S. adults who’ve used a dating site or app said they’d experienced at least one of four unwanted behaviors — 38% got unwanted explicit messages, 30% were contacted repeatedly after saying no, 24% were called an offensive name, and 6% received a physical threat. Separately, 52% of users said they believed they’d encountered someone using a fake profile to scam them (63% among men under 50). Pew hasn’t repeated this specific survey more recently as of this writing, so treat it as a baseline rather than a current snapshot.
The Red Flags That Show Up Long Before the Money Talk
They “love-bomb” you, then dodge video calls
Fast, intense affection — “I’ve never felt this way before” within days — combined with a consistent excuse for why a video call “isn’t working right now” is one of the most common patterns the FBI and FTC both flag. AI voice and image tools have made this easier to fake, which is exactly why platforms are pushing live video verification (more on that below).
They rush you off the dating app
Scammers want you on WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, or plain text as fast as possible — partly to avoid the app’s moderation and reporting tools, and partly to build a sense of private intimacy faster.
There’s always a “crisis”
A stuck-overseas emergency, a medical bill, a customs fee to release a gift they “sent” you — the specifics vary, but the shape is the same: a plausible-sounding crisis that only money can fix, timed for when you’re emotionally invested.
They ask for payment that can’t be traced or reversed
Gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, and payment apps to someone you’ve never met are the FBI’s most-cited red flag. Legitimate emergencies don’t require crypto or iTunes gift cards.
The photos and writing are a little too perfect
AI-generated headshots and chatbot-polished messages are increasingly common in scam profiles, according to the FBI. A reverse image search on a match’s main photo — recommended directly by the FTC — still catches a surprising number of stolen or AI-generated images.
What the Big Dating Apps Are Actually Doing About It in 2026
Match Group (which owns Tinder and Hinge) and Bumble have both leaned hard into identity verification over the past year. Here’s what’s actually live as of September 2026:
| App | Verification Feature | What It Actually Does | Status (Sept. 2026) |
| Tinder | Face Check | Video-selfie liveness check at signup, matched against profile photos; awards a Photo Verified badge. Tinder reports a company-measured 60%+ drop in exposure to potential bad actors and a 40%+ drop in bad-actor reports in early markets. | Mandatory for new users in 7 countries + California; expanding to more U.S. states |
| Hinge | Face Check | Same liveness-check technology as Tinder (both owned by Match Group), plus an AI “Comment Filter,” a “Did This Bother You?” reporting prompt, and a 30-day past-matches report tool. | Rolling out in the U.S. starting March 2026 |
| Bumble | Photo + ID Verification, Deception Detector™ | Photo verification confirms a match looks like their pictures; optional ID verification adds a stronger trust layer; an AI tool (Deception Detector) flags likely scam behavior in the background; Private Detector auto-blurs unsolicited explicit images. | Live now |
Two caveats worth knowing: Tinder’s 60%/40% effectiveness figures are company-reported, not from an independent audit, and no verification badge — on any app — guarantees someone is safe to meet. It confirms a person is real; it doesn’t vet their intentions.
How to Protect Yourself on Any Dating App
- Video chat before you meet in person, and be wary of anyone who has an excuse ready every time.
- Reverse image search your match’s main photos — free, takes 30 seconds, and is a tip straight from the FTC’s own consumer alert.
- Never send money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to someone you haven’t met face-to-face, no matter how good the story is.
- Keep the conversation on the dating app’s messaging system for as long as possible — it’s moderated and gives you a paper trail if you need to report someone.
- Tell a friend or family member about a new match early, and take it seriously if they’re skeptical — the FTC specifically recommends this as an outside gut-check.
- Meet the first few times in public places, and if travel is involved, check the State Department’s travel advisories, per FBI field-office guidance.
- Use the platform’s built-in verification and reporting tools — a Photo Verified or Face Check badge isn’t proof of good intent, but the absence of one on an otherwise-perfect profile is worth noticing.
What to Do If You Think You’re Being Scammed — or Already Sent Money
- Stop all contact and don’t send anything else, even if they threaten or guilt-trip you.
- Contact your bank, card issuer, or payment app immediately — the sooner you report it, the better the odds of recovering funds.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov — these reports feed the same data used to track scam trends nationally.
- Report the profile directly to the dating app or platform where you met.
- Talk to someone you trust. Romance scams rely on isolation, and victims often feel embarrassed — you’re far from alone; this is a multi-billion-dollar criminal industry, not a personal failing.
FAQ
How can I tell if someone on a dating app is a scammer?
No single sign is proof, but a cluster of them is a strong warning: fast declarations of love, a consistent excuse to avoid video calls, moving communication off the app quickly, and — eventually — a request for money, gift cards, or crypto. The FBI and FTC both list these as the most common patterns.
Does a “verified” badge mean someone is safe to meet?
No. Verification badges like Tinder’s and Hinge’s Face Check, or Bumble’s Photo/ID Verification, confirm that a person is real and matches their photos — they don’t vet character or intentions. Treat verification as one useful signal, not a safety guarantee.
Should I video chat with a match before meeting in person?
Yes. It’s one of the simplest ways to confirm someone is who their profile says they are, and it’s a specific recommendation from both the FBI and cybersecurity researchers covering dating app safety.
What should I do if I already sent money to someone I met on a dating app?
Stop sending money immediately, contact your bank or payment provider to see if the transaction can be reversed or flagged, and file reports with both ReportFraud.ftc.gov and IC3.gov. Report the profile to the dating app as well.
Which dating apps have the strongest safety features right now?
As of September 2026, Tinder and Hinge (both Match Group brands) have rolled out video-selfie “Face Check” verification, and Bumble offers Photo and ID Verification plus an AI-based Deception Detector tool. Availability varies by country and, in the U.S., by state — check the app’s own safety or help center page for current status in your area.
Sources
FTC — New FTC Data Show People Have Lost Billions to Social Media Scams (Apr. 2026) — https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/04/new-ftc-data-show-people-have-lost-billions-social-media-scams
FTC Consumer Advice — Looking for Love? Watch Out for Scammers — https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/02/looking-love-watch-out-scammers
FBI — Cryptocurrency and AI Scams Bilk Americans of Billions (2025 IC3 Annual Report announcement, Apr. 2026) — https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/cryptocurrency-and-ai-scams-bilk-americans-of-billions
FBI Jacksonville Field Office — Romance Scam Warning Ahead of Valentine’s Day (Feb. 2026) — https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/jacksonville/news/think-before-you-click-romance-scam-warning-from-fbi-jacksonville-ahead-of-valentines-day
Pew Research Center — The Experiences of U.S. Online Daters (Feb. 2023) — https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/02/02/the-experiences-of-u-s-online-daters/
Tinder Newsroom — Tinder to Expand Facial Verification Feature Across the U.S. (Oct. 2025) — https://www.tinderpressroom.com/2025-10-22-Tinder-to-Expand-Facial-Verification-Feature-Across-the-U-S-,-Setting-a-New-Standard-for-Dating-Safety
Hinge Newsroom — Safer Internet Day 2026: Building Trust Through Fairness and Transparency — https://hinge.co/newsroom/Safer-Internet-Day-2026
Bumble Support — Our Safety Features — https://support.bumble.com/hc/en-us/articles/28537051467293-Our-safety-features
Central Oregon Daily — $1.16B Lost to Romance Scams in 2025, FTC Says (Feb. 2026) — https://www.centraloregondaily.com/news/consumer/ftc-romance-scams-1-billion-losses-2025/article_c32c7fc5-c3a9-4cdc-8f4b-c80293080267.html
Editorial Note (not for publication)
- Target niche/category: Dating Apps — Safety & Trust (rotation: dating apps → cam sites → creator platforms).
- NEEDS SCREENSHOT (optional but recommended): Tinder Face Check verified badge/onboarding screen; Bumble ID Verification / Photo Verification screen; Hinge Face Check badge. None are required to publish, but they’d strengthen the platform comparison section.
- No internal links were added — existing FlirtChu posts could not be checked automatically. Add relevant internal links (e.g., individual Tinder/Bumble/Hinge review pages, a general online dating safety hub page if one exists) before publishing.
- Set category and author manually in WordPress before publishing; this piece was not posted anywhere automatically.
- All price/feature/statistic claims above are marked “last verified September 12, 2026” — re-check FTC/FBI figures and platform rollout status (especially Hinge’s Face Check launch, listed as starting March 2026) if this article is republished or updated later, since verification rollouts are actively expanding.