Report a
romance scam.
Romance scams devastate more than bank accounts — they exploit trust, loneliness, and genuine human connection. If someone you met online asked for money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency under false pretenses, reporting it here helps warn the next person they target and gives investigators the patterns they need to shut these operations down.
Quick romance scam report
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How romance scams work — and why they're so effective
Romance scams are the most financially devastating form of consumer fraud in the United States. The FTC reported over $1.14 billion in losses in 2023 alone, and that number only includes victims who actually filed a report — the real total is almost certainly higher. Unlike a phishing email you can spot in seconds, romance scams operate on a timeline of weeks or months, building genuine emotional attachment before any money changes hands.
The scammer creates a persona — often an attractive, successful professional stationed overseas, typically military, a doctor working with an NGO, or an engineer on an oil rig. The geographic distance explains why they can never meet in person. They invest hours every day in conversations, learning about your life, your fears, your routines. By the time they mention a financial emergency, you don't see a stranger asking for money — you see someone you care about in trouble.
The financial escalation pattern
The first request is always small and reasonable — maybe $200 for a phone bill so they can keep talking to you, or $500 for a medical emergency. When you send it and the relationship continues normally, you've crossed a psychological threshold. The next request is larger: $2,000 for a plane ticket to finally meet you. Then customs fees. Then legal issues. Each payment makes it harder to walk away because you've already invested so much — not just money, but emotional energy and hope. Scammers know this and exploit it deliberately.
Gift cards are the preferred payment method because they're untraceable once the codes are read. Wire transfers and cryptocurrency are close seconds. If someone you've never met in person asks you to buy gift cards, send crypto, or wire money overseas, that is the single most reliable indicator of a romance scam — no exceptions.
Who gets targeted
Anyone can be targeted. The stereotype of an elderly widow is outdated — FTC data shows that adults ages 18–59 report romance scams at comparable rates to older adults. The common thread isn't age or education; it's emotional vulnerability at a specific moment in time. People going through a divorce, dealing with grief, relocating to a new city, or simply experiencing loneliness are more susceptible. Scammers screen for these signals in profiles and early conversations.
If you're reading this because you suspect you're being scammed right now, trust that instinct. The fact that you're searching for information means something felt off. Use our full report builder to document everything — names, photos, messages, payment receipts. That evidence matters.
Where else to report romance scams
File in multiple places to maximize impact:
- →FTC — reportfraud.ftc.gov — the primary federal agency tracking romance fraud
- →FBI IC3 — ic3.gov — especially for losses over $1,000 or international scammers
- →Social Catfish — socialcatfish.com — reverse image search to verify the person's identity
- →Your bank — contact your bank immediately if you wired money — some transfers can be reversed within 24 hours
Related scam types
Scammers often combine tactics. If this looks familiar, check these too: