Dating & Marriage Scams: How to Spot Fake Profiles on Dating Apps

"Investment banker, 6'2, loves hiking and dogs" — when a dating profile seems too perfect, it just might be. The FTC reports that romance scams caused over $1.3 billion in losses in the US in 2025, making it the costliest form of consumer fraud. These scams do not only target the lonely or naive — professionals, executives, and tech-savvy individuals have all fallen victim.

How Dating Scams Work

The Progression

Stage	Timeframe	What Happens
Love Bombing	Days 1-14	Constant messages, compliments, "we're soulmates" talk
Isolation	Weeks 2-4	Moving off the app to iMessage/Messenger, discouraging you from telling friends
Trust Building	Weeks 3-8	Sharing "vulnerable" stories, future planning, possibly meeting (or excuses not to)
The Ask	Week 4+	Financial emergency — medical bills, business crisis, travel costs
Escalation	Ongoing	More emergencies, guilt if you hesitate, threats to leave

Common Scam Types

1. Classic Catfishing — Using stolen photos and fabricated identity. They never video call or always have technical issues.

2. Pig Butchering (Investment Romance) — After building emotional connection, they introduce a "guaranteed" cryptocurrency or forex investment. You see initial "profits," invest more, then lose everything.

3. Military Romance Scam — Claims to be deployed overseas (convenient excuse for never meeting). Needs money for "leave papers," satellite phone, or shipping personal items home.

4. Marriage Visa Scam — Pursues marriage primarily for immigration benefits, with plans to leave after obtaining residency.

5. Sugar Daddy/Mommy Scam — Promises financial support but first needs you to "verify" your account by sending money or gift cards.

Red Flags to Watch For

• They refuse video calls or always cancel last minute
• The relationship escalates unusually fast
• They have an excuse for never meeting in person
• Financial requests — no matter how small — appear early
• Their story has inconsistencies
• They get defensive or angry when questioned
• Profile photos look professional or model-quality
• They want to move off the dating platform quickly

How to Verify Someone

DIY Checks

1. Reverse image search their photos on Google Images or TinEye
2. Search their name + city on LinkedIn and social media
3. Insist on video calls — multiple, spontaneous ones
4. Meet in public — if local, suggest a coffee date early on
5. Tell friends and family — an outside perspective catches red flags you miss

Before Committing

• Background check services — BeenVerified, Spokeo, or similar
• Social media audit — look for real friends, tagged photos, years of activity
• Mutual connections — do you share any real-world contacts?
• Google their phone number — scam numbers are often reported online

If You Have Been Scammed

1. Stop all contact — block on all platforms
2. Do not send more money — even if they threaten or guilt-trip
3. Document everything — screenshots of conversations, payment receipts, profile details
4. Report to the platform — Tinder, Hinge, Bumble all have fraud reporting
5. File with the FTC — reportfraud.ftc.gov
6. Contact your bank — request chargebacks for recent transactions
7. Report to IC3 — fbi.gov/ic3

Protecting Your Personal Information

During the early stages of online dating, sharing personal details is inevitable. But sending sensitive documents — driver's license, proof of income, address — through iMessage or Messenger leaves them permanently in chat history.

LOCK.PUB lets you create encrypted, password-protected memos that can auto-expire after viewing. If you need to share personal documents during the dating process, use an encrypted link instead of plain text. Even if the relationship ends badly, your information is not sitting in an old chat thread.

Online dating can lead to genuine connections — millions of happy couples met through apps. But trust should be earned gradually, verified independently, and never bought with money. If someone seems too perfect, take a step back and verify before you invest your heart or your wallet.