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Looking to start a new relationship? For some, that may mean meeting a new love interest online. Word to the wise: sometimes it’s best to lead with your head and not your heart.

Millions of Americans use dating sites, social networking sites, and chat rooms to meet people. And many forge successful relationships. But scammers also use these sites to meet potential victims. They create fake profiles to build online relationships, and eventually convince people to send money in the name of love.

The Federal Trade Commission receives thousands of reports each year about romance scammers who create fake online relationships only to steal their victims’ money.

Unfortunately, an online love interest who asks for money is almost certainly a scam artist.

The FTC’s new infographic, developed with the American Bankers Association Foundation, lists common signs of online dating scams and what to do if someone you meet online asks you for money.

Below are some tips to identify a real romance versus a scammer cruising for a target.

Online Dating Scams. Has an online love interest asked you for money? That's a scam. Scammers know millions of people use online dating sites. They are there, too, hiding behind fake profiles. Signs of a scam: Professes love quickly. Claims to be from the U.S., but is overseas for business or military service. Asks for money, and lures you off the dating site. Claims to need money — for emergencies, hospital bills, or travel. Plans to visit, but can’t because of an emergency. $220 million lost in 2016. $56 million lost in 2012. Reports to the FBI tripled over 5 years (4,476 reports in 2012; 14,546 reports in 2016) What to do: Slow down — and talk to someone you trust. Don’t let a scammer rush you. Never wire money, put money on a gift or cash reload card, or send cash to an online love interest. You won’t get it back. Contact your bank right away if you think you’ve sent money to a scammer. Report your experience to: • The online dating site • Federal Trade Commission: ftc.gov/complaint • Federal Bureau of Investigation: ic3.gov. Learn more at ftc.gov/imposters and aba.com/engagement

Please share this information with others. Victims may be embarrassed to talk about their experiences, but you can help. A simple phone call, email or text, saying “Look what I just found” and sharing this information may make a difference in someone else’s life.

It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.

The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

Montana
December 17, 2019
Harry Anderson?
rose24
December 18, 2019
hi maybe im a victim to it because i send my personal in formation immediately and my i.d to fill up leave form from my fiancee a.k.a scammer thats why when he ask for money i wonder still now he contact me and i want to catch him....im willing to give you some information to the identity that he use this must be stop....thank you
SonicBrain
January 28, 2020
Just received this message on my iPhone “message “ Hello I am Barr James and write you about the estate possibly left behind by your deceased relation. Email me on: james@ dzimitrowiczllp. , for details. Well , I’m a Brazilian and live in Japan, my relatives are in Brazil and Japan , as I know ..nobody has passed away and receive an message in English even don’t match with a real possibility, definitely a scam . Be aware ! The telephone number by the sender are ; +46 76-943 9685
Concerned Sister
December 18, 2019
I have a younger brother who believes he'll never find love. He met a girl online, Brenda Derick, says she's in a different country but wants to move to the states. He fell for her and has only been with her a couple of months and has lost "not even $200" he says. I told him her last name was definitely not real as her last name Derick, was very similar to his first name. He asked her about it and she admitted that it was indeed not her name and I thought they broke up. He then admits to me she was sending him naughty pictures but he never sent any in return. A few days later he's asking me if I have money to help bring her here because she apparently bought the ticket they were trying so hard to buy (but bad things kept happening to the money) but needed more for the bus ride from only a few towns over. As a side note, he has never had a video chat with her let alone even heard her voice. Since he still lives with our mom, after I threatened him to at least prove she's a real person or I would tell mom and he didn't take me seriously. I also asked him if she had a Facebook or any social media at all other than Google Hangouts and he said no because people kept asking for naughty pictures so she deleted them all. He also kept telling me that she couldn't do a voice chat or a video chat because her computer is old. He also told me that she was only able to take the naughty pictures that she did take because she stole her grandfathers camera who is very mean to her and never lets her leave not even to get a job but she's 30 years old. After I told mom he lost access to his bank account and refuses to talk to me. Are there any websites that have some kind of questionnaire that he could fill answer that might tell him she is indeed a scammer? I can have mom make him do this since he won't talk to me but only if he doesn't know I'm the one who wants him to do it since "I ruined his life and he'll be lonely for the rest of his life"... my brother is only 18 1/2 years old mind you.
Ava
December 19, 2019
I met someone on tinder he has twitter account and good photos . Not sure if they are him or not . Talked for five weeks and said he had project in Cyprus . I knew I was vulnerable but you can’t kid a kidder . Said he needed a loan for materials because officials won’t release them . I told him I had no money to lend him and then he asked which bank I was with . that was the last conversation we had no further contact but can’t get rid of second phone line pictures
Beware
December 20, 2019
Beware of a guy name James Scott an army man hes a scammer. He first was good we spoke for months then started asking for small amounts same thing I have no food blah blah blah. Then it got to be more and more and the excuses were u real. He has pictures of someone actually in the army and will send them to you all the while pressuring you for money. It's a scam he got me for 1k over the course of 8 months till I finally told him I'm reporting him then he blocked me. Lol just be careful they are really good and make you want to believe them but it's all part of their game. If you have a bad feeling trust it it's probably right!
Emily
December 20, 2019
Any body knows this Man name Luis Coronel from New York be aware if you get contated with this man he on the 60's
Isabella
December 22, 2019
Hello. I started talking to a man from Denver. Claimed he was a widower with a 10 year old daughter. Confessed his love immediately. "Love at first sight". After 3 weeks, he promised to come see me (different state). But then, he got this big contract in South Africa. So he travelled with his daughter to South Africa. Well now he claims that his iPad, cell phone and laptop and credit card were stolen at the airport and he can't do his job without them. He's asking me to buy the electronics and send them to him. I saw Ted flags before this. Blocking him. Does anyone have a similar story? His mail just says raymond Donald.
Justin
December 23, 2019
I was scammed by the same guy. Got me for a lot of money. Alot which he promised to pay back. Oh well lesson learned.
ShaylaB
December 23, 2019
I met this man online at POF dating site. He had an accent It was going well I was excited We texted a lot I believed every word of each text. Then the day came he asked me for money. I had absolutely no idea. He is a scammer.
lindylou
December 23, 2019
I have just been talking to a guy under the name of John Morris. Who Friended me through online Wheel of Fortune. Like everyone he started saying how much he wanted to be with me etc etc. He was out on a rig off Nth Carolina & had a 16yr old daughter named Sharon who lived in Texas, he said she stayed at home on her own to go to school & he paid for her keep.. that in itself sent alarm bells off in my head. The photos he sent me supposedly of himself where gorgeous, a very handsome man. Had to join Hangout, that’s the only way he would talk to me,, more alarm bells. Playing along I told him everything he wanted to hear. I even told him it’s a shame he was so far away as I am in New Zealand on holiday but live in Australia that we couldn’t spend New Year’s Eve together to start a new year and relationship off. Suddenly he & daughter Sharon where going to fly into Australia on New Year’s Eve to spend it with me. Some of the spelling was good which made me think maybe this is genuine then other times there where lots of spelling mistakes & words missing which made me think yes this is a scam. This morning was all lovey Davey until I got the message saying “ Honey I want you to do something for me” alarm bells started ringing so asked him what I could do for him, he couldn’t do things from the rig and wanted me to go get Amazon Cards. Told him I had never heard of them, but he just kept insisting I needed to go to the store and get them..... it was then that I told him I was an undercover policeman and we had been monitoring our conversations. Reply was... what do you mean...my reply was.. told him again I was a Undercover Policeman. Suddenly I was told I wasn’t telling the truth and called a liar. Next minute he was trying to ring me which I didn’t answer & deleted the app. Then I started getting messages through Wheel of Fortune, so just blocked him, have heard nothing since. Would love to track down the guy who’s in the photo to tell him his photo is being used in scamming. God he was gorgeous. I can see how vulnerable people get sucked in.
Dont trust no …
February 14, 2020

In reply to by lindylou

I think that is the same scammer I chatted with he met me on wheel of fortune then wanted me to download hangouts
CC25thousand
December 23, 2019
Started talking to a man online from a dating sight, he had me buy gift cardS & iPhones & tablets & I sent to China for him. He. said he would make payments on my credit cards & he has now reversed every single payment. Now I’m in debt for &25,000. Should I go to police? Will this help me with my credit cards so I can have my credit back? He did this on 2 cards & that’s all I had. Now I have nothing & I can’t pay them. But will I get arrested for sending items to China. Is that illegal? Some please help me!
Lolo
December 23, 2019
My Uncle is being scammed. Has anyone heard of a girl named Sandra Elizabeth Smith from Greenville, SC. Said that her Dad died sometime ago and she’s an only child and he left her very well off when he died. Said that she has a lot of property in Texas and Greenville. She has a textile and clothing mill in England. My Uncle was scammed by many other women over the past 3 years. He has given them so much money. This one is now wanting more money and he’s trying to get a loan. He lives in another State and won’t listen to anyone that loves him. If we try to talk to him about 5his as a scam he get mean and argumentative. I truly think he’s losing his mind. He is so lonely and will do anything to have a young women fall in love with him. He’s 75 but thinks a young women is interested in him. All they want is money and he doesn’t have any. He keeps telling me that he’s getting married. She never shows up to visit him over and over again. What can I do to heal him. Thank you!
Little man
December 28, 2019
Has anyone talk to Ayine Samuel?
Dopey
December 30, 2019
I have been scammed by a guy called Donald who’s on a North Sea oil rig for £1200, I’m furious with myself as my initial gut reaction was “scam” he’s from Ottawa Canada, we met on POF and quickly moved to hangouts, anyone else had dealings with him?
Angelina
December 30, 2019
Anyone heard of a Chris Seals?
amduroc
December 30, 2019
If you run into a man named Jaxon Bassler ( has a European accent) says he is from Belgium can produce a valid NJ driver's license and US passport with appropriate photo formats and verbiage. He was an electrical engineer doing a job in SOuth Africa, i couldnt beleive i was scammed....he kept saying he is wealthy but money stolen from his bank, supposedly US bank took months to return his funds (over $1m) but I never got my $17000 and it started out to be a few hundred dollars and kept adding up
MargB
February 13, 2020

In reply to by amduroc

The guy I met said from Belgium too. But lives in Mesa AZ. Is currently in Thailand working and needs money sent. Did your guy say he is a widower and has a 15 year old daughter named Rita?
Confused at th…
December 30, 2019
Military Police - meet online Requested to continue talking on HANGOUTS - I noticed the email being used didn't match his name in a photo I was given an explanation and sent a current photo (assumed it was) I tried to cut it off in two occasions but he has been persistent (which I assumed typical scammer) He has asked me to help him with funds threw Bitcoin but he would fund me first - it started with small amounts - This happened three times with the reason it was to pay for his leave When it was time for him to finalize his Commander pasted away and the paperwork needed to be redone My assumption was the fee is the same so he was requesting the same process to be done But to my surprise he sent me a large amount of funds which has me freaking out - what if he is laundering money and using me to pull this off - How do I get out of this now - I feel I got to involved and now I have been set up I asked him to reverse the transaction but he swears it his salary and has claimed himself as my boyfriend (and yes the I love you are endless and the future wife; even when I write back I will not get married) - mind you we have never meet Bottomline - what do I do
FTC Staff
January 10, 2020

In reply to by Confused at th…

That sounds like a scam. Some scammers set up dating profiles to meet people to use in the scam. The scammers start a “relationship,” and then make up a story and ask their new friend to help them transfer money.  The scammer transfers stolen money into the victim's account, and then tells her where to send the money.

You might think you're helping someone, but you could be aiding and abetting a crime. Your name is on the bank account that receives the money, and you make the transfers. Your bank may close your account.

You can choose to stop communicating with someone.  You can report a scammer to the website where he posted his profile.

Jakesowner
December 31, 2019
I was recently contacted by someone saying they are deployed at the moment and they needed a steam gift card because they lost all their files, books and music. They are stating they are in the military.
jd042867
December 31, 2019
My wife and I are getting divorced. I found out she is talking with a guy online who she says she is moving to SanDiego to live with him, she has apparently been talking with him online for about 8 months now. He tells her he works on an offshore oil rig and she already had to postpone moving because he said he can't leave the oil rig until all of his crew has left the rig. I also saw a text she received from him asking for 750 dollars and he would pay her 1500 dollars the next day to purchase a part that broke on the rig. Thankfully she didn't have the money to send him. I really don't care if she gets hurt from a con man but I do care if she sends money to this guy. My question is does any of this sound familiar to anyone as far as an oil rig worker need money to purchase a part, pay her back the next day, the length of time he has been chatting with her, does someone really carry out a scam that long, does a worker have to wait for the whole crew to leave the rig? What are the odds this guy is real
Warrior Widow
January 15, 2020

In reply to by jd042867

I spoke with a man who claimed he was working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. It only took him a month to ask for money to purchase a part he needed. His story was filled with so many details, I swore he was the real deal until he asked for money. It happens to so many.
ml6279
August 13, 2020

In reply to by Curious

my sister has been talking to a man by this name and has been conned for over $30000 - he is on oil rig - delays visits but will show up to pay her back in cash - worried - need evidence of his being fake - so she will believe me
Grinnybear42
July 12, 2021

In reply to by Curious

I have been taking with a guy says he is in Edinburg Scotland. Job finished but can get back to the states. Says from Washington DC. Very intelligent. Was suppose to be back by now. Hs started asking for money thru bitcoin.Uses name Erikson Magnus. Has a beard, grey/blond. Glsses, a bear claw on his right side. Need more info on him.
Dd't use your …
January 30, 2020

In reply to by jd042867

I have he goes by David Williams Or at least with me he did. We were on an online relationship for a year. Near the end he asked for iTunes cards which I sent info via message. Stupid I know.. then he started asking for different amounts of money. Did not send. Yay.. kept postponing our meetings same as yours plus him getting sick several times. Deep voice. So sorry your going through this. If I were married or had someone in real life I would have never listened to my friends or family and go on any dating sites.
Abbys
December 31, 2019
Does any knows the name of Mike Murray? He claims to be from Montreal Canada and originally from London, have talked to him for over 2 months, never met him. He has sent me pictures adb we have talked on the phone and he has the UK accent. Claimed to be for work in Dubai for 3 weeks and drained my savings 25k claiming his mother in London needed urgent medical attention. I was so stupid, I trusted him and he not just broke my heart. He took every thing I had. He asked me to wire him money using money gram, western union, walmart to Wal-Mart, wire transfers, bitcoin. He claimed that being in Dubai he could not get access to any of his bank accounts, he said he wanted to come and spend the holidays in NY with me and my son and he said he got detained by us customs for a passport problems, made me sent him money to pay fee through bitcoin, he said will come to see me and never showed up at the airport . I am so embarrassed how I believed ib someone and he even talked to my son on the phone saying that he will be coming home soon to meet us. My savings is all gone, he made me get cash advance from credut cards, so my cards are maxed out. I am so hurt, I just realized he was a very good scam but what hurts me more is I don't have any money at all and dont know how I am going to pay for all this.
Pk
January 01, 2020
I have recently been scammed by a man calling himself Everett Howard. He friended me on Facebook and the asked me to go on hangouts. He was professing love for me after onky a few days telling me his wife and son died in childbirth leaving him with a 15year old daughter studying in UK. Claimed his parents died in a car crash leaving him the house. Started to ask for I tune cards and steam cards. I sent him some but soon refused when he started asking for airfare money. His pictures were very convincing of a good looking man from Florida. He always had an excuse not to speak on the phone.
Blare
January 02, 2020
Does someone know about Korean engineer Youngjon?He graduated from Baylor,Waco,Texas..Is working on oil rig in Western Africa ,Mediterranean sea. Family status is mom,younger brother and father is late for a long time..Just asking?For sure...
dora
January 04, 2020
I am was scammed but never gave any money away. This young man used the name thechocolate_king on Instagram. He said all the right things. He use the name Harris and will supposedly in the army for 13 years but currently living in Cleveland for year. Has been single for years after he caught his ex girlfriend cheating with another solider while on deployment. Parents died in a car crash and originally from Nambia. He has since deleted ig and hangout accounts.
FELLFORTH DUTCH
January 06, 2020
MET A GUY THROUGH E-HARMONY NAME ANDREW BENOIST. THINGS WERE FINE FOR MONTHS THEN EVERY TIME HE WAS SUPPOSE TO COME BACK HOME TO ARIZONA PHOENIX SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN. HE CLAIMS THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AT HIS JOB SITE AND HE HAS TO PAY FINES. HE SEND ME A BOGUS BANK STATEMENT AND SAYS HE HAS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUT IS ASKING FOR PRE PAID CREDIT CARDS AND CLAIMS TO HAVE A AGENT . DONT FALL FOR IT
Fooled 2
February 09, 2020

In reply to by FELLFORTH DUTCH

Was it a robotic accident and did someone get killed? Is he having to pay fines to the Government of that Country? That's what Emmanuel Thompson told me. Do you have a photo of Andrew Benoist?
Vibrant Energy
January 06, 2020
Chatting with a handsome man claiming to be German and Latino mix. Met on Instagram and moved to Hangouts. Strong Mexican accent. Wife died 4 years ago. Moved to Texas from Germany 2 years ago with mom who has cancer. Daughter is 15 and in boarding school . Asked me to speak with her. Camera broken so can’t show me his face, but can see mine. Needs money for hospital bills and daughters school bills. Says, ‘Are you doubting me’ if I ask any questions about his identity. I’ve told him I don’t give money when I haven’t seen the person live on video. So I haven’t lost anything. I told him to stop asking for money. I told him it wasn’t attractive. Going on 2 months now. Kind of a fun game and distracted me from a painful situation. I once saw a comment in this site by a person talking to someone who sounded similar. Now I can’t find it. Let me know if this sounds familiar.
momo
January 07, 2020
Met a very nice guy over a week ago said he was a petroleum engineer, a contractor, was leaving for a 10 day contract in Norway. Wife cheated on him with a neighbor, was saying all the right things, was sweet, then today he asked me for a vanilla prepaid card of $200.00 to send to him because a colleague had helped him buy some equipment. He was an only child and both parents are dead. He said that he would pay me when he returns to town and we meet. He asked me to send him the back and front of the card by e-mail which I did not. I told him send the e-transfer First and he has not responded back . He said that he was Sweden.
Playing WWF
January 07, 2020
I play WWF, my opponent started chatting with me, asking me if i was happily married, I said my marriage was ok. He then started telling me he is 66 years old , his wife died of cancer 8 years ago and he has 4 grown children. I continued to talk with him, our conversations turned into dirty talking. He goes by the name Graham Wills , he is a geologist and suddenly had to go to Turkey, he then asks for money. He did send me pictures of himself but i know they are not of himself. He sent me his email so we could talk there instead of the game site. Once he asked for money that was the end of our friendly relationship.
Scambuster
September 26, 2020

In reply to by Playing WWF

I wasnt sure who I have been talking with online. With three of my friends that I had never met I decided to track. You can track with Grabify. Easy to use. All three had lied..one stated he was from Turkey on a rig, the other two on a rig near London. All came back tracked in Nigeria, Africa. All have asked for medical bill money. It's about time you do your own detective work. Dont be a victim.
HEART BROKEN
January 08, 2020
beware of men named Timothy Collins Christenson, Harry Patrick, Mark Roberts. all scammers from Words with Friends. all say similar things, love you right away. asking for money and gift cards. transactions through bitcoin. its unbelievable how well they do this. so charming and making you fall them. they know just what to say. do not fall for it. anyone else here of these men? i want them all to get caught. i lost money and was such a fool. i feel so stupid now. and ashamed
rnteresam28
January 28, 2020
Yes scammed by oil rig acammer
oMg
January 09, 2020
My friend has been asked to send their banking user name and password to their online daily love interest so that person’s family member can deposit money into the account but I advised against that.
blacky
January 10, 2020
David from FL,Jacksonville is working for army (mission Afghanistan) . His wife died 3 years ago with his mother by a car accident. His 14 years old daughter is going to a boarding school. He asked me to buy her amazon gift card...I googled his number. His name was darwyn not David.
Muddman2000
January 11, 2020
Got taken by a beautiful lady from Ghana claiming her dad had left her millions in gold but needed money to pay for the taxes in order to get the gold, I sent her 5000.00. Now she wants all my information so she can send the a check worth 6.8 million dollars to may account. Sent me pics of herself, the gold, the paperwork, everything. Wow, she really got to me. Won't happen again.
ManUtd99
January 11, 2020
Hi, has anyone been scammed by a guy called Richard Parker from San Francisco. He works on an oil rig as a drilling engineer in the Gulf of Mexico .
JeanneKaneFountain
January 12, 2020
Any one talk to Michael Parker, working on rig off coast of Ecuador? Has son Jeffery in San Francisco, being cared for by nanny. Needs money for transport home.
efdtjd
January 13, 2020
Has anyone been in communication with a Robert Blazej who is claiming that he has an inheritance from his dad in Poland. He says his dad was a jeweler and he was the chief jewelry designer. He seems so legit but I'm so leary!
Girl from Minn…
June 01, 2020

In reply to by efdtjd

I am in contact with him currently. I have been told the same thing. He does seem legit but I still leery. What happened with your relationship?
AmIatotlSkr
January 14, 2020
I have been talking to a woman contacted me on linked In. Goes by Angel Cozma. Good for a while, she asked for Walmart gift card, which I sent her. Now asking me to help her with lawyer for security company access to her Deceased dads estate. Screams scam?