Report Romance Scam
Report online relationship fraud, fake dating profiles, financial exploitation, impersonation, or suspected romance scams.
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INVESTIGATION AREA
Romance Scam Awareness & Reporting
Romance scams involve criminals creating fake online relationships to gain trust before manipulating victims into sending money, personal information, or financial assistance under false pretenses.
Learn how romance scammers operate, recognize warning signs, preserve conversations and payment records, protect yourself, and report romance scam incidents.
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Romance Scam Resources
Access reporting tools, safety guidance, and educational resources to help recognize romance scams, protect yourself from online relationship fraud, and preserve evidence.
Prevention Resources
Learn how to recognize fake online relationships, verify identities, and reduce your risk of financial and emotional exploitation.
Learn MoreEvidence Guidance
Understand which conversations, payment records, screenshots, and profile information should be preserved before reporting.
View GuidanceOnline Safety
Explore resources covering online dating safety, social media awareness, identity verification, and fraud prevention.
UNDERSTANDING ROMANCE SCAMS
What Is a Romance Scam?
A romance scam is a form of online fraud where criminals create fake identities and build emotional relationships with victims to gain trust before requesting money, financial assistance, personal information, or access to accounts.
Romance scammers commonly operate through dating platforms, social media, messaging applications, gaming communities, and email. They often spend weeks or months building a relationship before introducing fabricated emergencies or investment opportunities.
Victims may be persuaded to send bank transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or other payments. Scammers frequently invent stories involving military deployment, overseas employment, medical emergencies, customs fees, or travel expenses.
Preserving conversations, payment records, account information, and profile details can assist in identifying fraud patterns and supporting cybercrime intelligence efforts.
TAKE ACTION
Think You're Being Targeted?
If someone you've met online is requesting money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or personal information, stop communication, preserve available evidence, and submit a report.
WARNING SIGNS
Common Indicators of a Romance Scam
Romance scammers often follow predictable patterns designed to build trust, create emotional dependence, and eventually request money or sensitive personal information.
1
Relationship Progresses Very Quickly
The individual expresses strong romantic feelings unusually early and attempts to establish emotional dependence within a short period.
2
Refuses Video Calls or In-Person Meetings
The person repeatedly avoids live video calls, cancels meetings, or provides excuses to avoid verifying their identity.
3
Requests Money
They ask for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, travel expenses, customs fees, medical bills, or emergency financial assistance.
4
Emotional Pressure
They attempt to create guilt, urgency, or fear in order to persuade victims to send money quickly.
5
Requests Personal Information
The individual seeks banking details, identity documents, verification codes, passwords, or other sensitive information.
HOW IT WORKS
Common Romance Scam Techniques
Romance scammers frequently use emotional manipulation, fabricated identities, and financial deception to exploit victims over an extended period.
Fake Online Profiles
Criminals create convincing dating or social media profiles using stolen photographs and fabricated personal histories.
Love Bombing
Victims are overwhelmed with affection, compliments, and promises of a future relationship to build trust quickly.
Invented Emergencies
Scammers fabricate medical emergencies, military deployments, travel issues, customs fees, business problems, or family crises requiring financial help.
Cryptocurrency Investment Schemes
Victims may be persuaded to invest in fake cryptocurrency platforms or fraudulent investment opportunities controlled by criminals.
Gift Card Requests
Gift cards are frequently requested because they are difficult to trace and quickly converted into cash.
Identity Impersonation
Criminals often pretend to be military personnel, doctors, engineers, international workers, or wealthy professionals to increase credibility.
WHO MAY BE TARGETED
Who Can Be Targeted?
Romance scams can affect anyone using dating websites, social media platforms, messaging applications, gaming communities, or other online communication services.
Online Dating Users
Individuals using dating platforms are frequently approached by fake profiles seeking financial exploitation.
Social Media Users
Fraudsters often initiate relationships through Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat, TikTok, and similar platforms.
Older Adults
Older individuals are frequently targeted because scammers may believe they possess savings or retirement funds.
Anyone Seeking Relationships
Romance scammers exploit trust and emotions rather than technical skills, making anyone a potential target.
PREVENTION
Protect Yourself from Romance Scams
While scammers constantly adapt their tactics, following good online safety practices can significantly reduce your risk of becoming a victim.
- Never send money to someone you have only met online.
- Be cautious if someone declares love very quickly.
- Verify identities through live video calls.
- Reverse-search profile photographs if something feels suspicious.
- Never share banking information, passwords, verification codes, or identity documents.
- Be skeptical of repeated emergencies or urgent financial requests.
- Discuss suspicious relationships with trusted friends or family members.
- Report suspicious accounts to the platform where the interaction occurred.
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE A VICTIM
What To Do Immediately
Taking prompt action can help prevent additional financial losses and preserve valuable evidence.
1
Stop All Payments
Do not send additional money, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or financial assistance.
2
Preserve Conversations
Save chats, emails, social media messages, voice notes, and screenshots.
3
Contact Your Financial Institution
Inform your bank or payment provider if transfers have already occurred.
4
Block the Scammer
Stop communication after preserving evidence and report the account to the platform.
5
Submit an NCIC Report
Provide a detailed report together with conversations, payment records, and supporting evidence.
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
Information That Can Help Your Report
- Dating profile URLs or usernames.
- Social media profile links.
- Chat conversations and direct messages.
- Email communications.
- Photographs shared by the scammer.
- Bank transfers and payment receipts.
- Cryptocurrency wallet addresses.
- Gift card receipts and redemption details.
- Phone numbers and email addresses used.
- Screenshots of profiles and conversations.
REPORTING PROCESS
What Happens After You Submit a Report?
1
Report Received
Your report is securely received and assigned a unique NCIC reference number.
2
Evidence Assessment
Submitted conversations, payment records, and profile information are reviewed.
3
Intelligence Analysis
Analysts identify common scammer techniques, infrastructure, and links to related reports.
4
Appropriate Action
Reports may support cyber intelligence products or be referred to appropriate investigative partners where applicable.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Romance Scam FAQs
What is a romance scam?
A romance scam occurs when someone creates a fake online identity to build an emotional relationship before asking for money, financial assistance, gifts, cryptocurrency, or sensitive personal information.
I never sent money. Should I still report it?
Yes. Attempted romance scams provide valuable intelligence and may help identify repeat offenders, fraudulent accounts, and emerging scam patterns.
What evidence should I preserve?
Save conversations, profile links, screenshots, payment receipts, cryptocurrency wallet addresses, email messages, phone numbers, and any photographs shared during the interaction.
Can I update my report later?
Yes. Retain your NCIC reference number so you can provide additional evidence if new information becomes available.
REPORT ROMANCE SCAM
Ready to Report a Romance Scam?
If you believe you have been targeted through an online dating platform, social media, messaging application, or another online relationship, submit a secure report through the National Cyber Intelligence Center. Your report helps support cyber intelligence, identify scam networks, and improve public awareness.