Scams seem to be everywhere nowadays—texts, emails, and phone calls included. Con artists are getting more sophisticated, especially with AI, to the point where a recent survey suggests they’re increasingly impersonating loved ones.
Some scammers target vulnerable and lonely individuals by pretending to be potential romantic interests, known as romance scammers. New research by online protection firm McAfee shows that two in five young adults (ages 18-24) encounter potential romance scams weekly, a rate much higher than adults over 65. McAfee reports that 15% of Americans have lost money to online dating or romance scams, with men more likely to report losses (21%) than women (10%).
Those falling victim to scams often lose less than $500, but some scam victims, notably men, report losing over $5,000.
It’s not just legitimate dating apps facing the scam threat. Tinder recently mandated new U.S. users do a face scan during signup, in part to fight scams. Hinge is considering similar measures. But scammers also create fake versions of popular dating apps. McAfee found that a third of surveyed adults received fake “exclusive” or “invite-only” dating app invitations, and 14% signed up and shared personal or payment information, with Tinder clones accounting for about half of all malicious app activity. Between December 1, 2025, and January 22, 2026, Plenty of Fish fraudulent versions made up 78% of detected fake dating app installations.
Similar patterns were observed by Visa Scam Disruption, as noted by Visa’s chief risk and client services officer, Paul Fabara, who described a romance scheme involving a network of dating sites designed to mimic affection while trapping users into recurring billing schemes.
**Romance Scam Red Flags**
1. Be wary of “exclusive” dating app invitations. Legitimate apps where you apply for membership, like Raya, are rare. If you’re aiming to download a dating app, the best suggestion is to use your phone’s app store.
2. **Lovebombing**: Anyone professing love after just a few messages should raise suspicion, even if they aren’t after money. For suggestions that feel “too good to be true,” they probably are. This includes overly detailed profiles with perfect photos or catchy bios.
3. **Urgent Requests for Money**: If someone claims they urgently need money and you’ve only recently connected, they may just want your money. They might even threaten to cut off communication to keep you engaged.
4. **Request for Personal Information**: Are you planning to meet in person, and they first ask for your bank details? Tread carefully. Much like money requests, seeking sensitive information should be a cautionary sign of financial interest.
5. **Avoidance of the App But Not In Real Life**: If a match tries sending QR codes, strange links, or verification codes, it’s a warning sign. Avoid sending money or clicking odd links. Equally troubling is when someone refuses to chat via video or meet face-to-face, implying they may be hiding their real identity, as Fabara stated.
Scams are becoming increasingly complex, urging us to recognize the indicators and stay vigilant. Stay safe.