The shapes these scams take
Online dating scams are not all slow romance schemes. Some move fast, asking for a code sent to your phone, which can be used to take over your number or open an account in your name. Others push for intimate images and then threaten to share them unless you pay, which is extortion and should be reported, not negotiated. Some build a relationship over weeks and then introduce an investment or crypto app that shows impressive returns until you try to withdraw. Many begin on a dating app and move to a messaging service where the platform's safety tools no longer apply. The common thread is a person you have never met in person who soon turns the relationship toward money or access.
Capture the evidence, then report
Profiles and accounts used in these scams are often deleted once the scammer is done or reported, so capture what you can first. Take screenshots of the dating profile, the username, and the conversation, including the app it moved to. Save payment records, phone numbers, wallet addresses, and any links you were sent. Then report the profile to the dating app, file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, and contact your bank or payment provider about anything you sent. If someone is threatening to share images, stop responding, keep the threats, and report it; if the person in the images is under the age of majority, contact law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
When a lawyer becomes useful
Many victims do not need a lawyer for reporting, but some situations call for one. If you were asked to receive money or packages and pass them along, you may be contacted by your bank or by investigators, and it is worth speaking with counsel before answering. If a large amount moved through a U.S. exchange or bank, there may be a trail worth pursuing. If the scammer used your identity or accounts, cleanup with creditors can be involved. And if someone contacts you promising to recover your losses for a fee, treat that as a second scam. When we review an online dating scam, we look at where the money or information went and what can realistically be done.
