Dating app scams: the scripts to know
Dating app scams follow a script: a perfect match, a quick move to another app, then a link, an investment tip or an emergency that needs money. Spot the script early, check the photos, and keep the chat inside the app until you’ve met.
The scams running on Tinder, Hinge and Bumble
- Fake “safety verification”. Your match asks you to verify yourself on an outside site before meeting. It signs you up for paid subscriptions or takes your card details.
- The crypto tip. A successful, well-travelled match mentions how much they make trading, then offers to show you the platform.
- Move to WhatsApp or Telegram. They want off the app within a day or two, before the app’s moderation can flag them.
- The emergency. A medical bill, a stuck shipment or a flight to finally meet you, and they need help paying.
- Bots with links. A match who replies instantly, ignores your questions and sends a link to “see more photos”.
- Sextortion. Fast flirting, a request for intimate photos, then a threat to share them unless you pay.
Signs your match might be a scammer
- Their photos look professional, and there are only a few of them.
- They’re abroad: on a rig, deployed, working on a ship or stuck overseas.
- They say “I love you” within days.
- There’s always a reason they can’t video call or meet.
- Their spelling, tone or story shifts between messages.
- Money comes up, even as a hint, before you’ve met.
How to check a match is real
- Look for the app’s verification badge: Tinder, Hinge and Bumble all offer selfie verification.
- Search one of their photos to see where else the face appears.
- Ask for a short video call before you meet. A real person can manage two minutes.
- Check what they told you against what you find: name, job, city.
- Meet in a public place and tell a friend where you’ll be.
What to do if you’ve been scammed
- Stop paying, even if they promise it’s the last time or threaten you.
- Report the profile in the app; scammers often run many accounts and reports help remove them.
- Contact your bank or card issuer at once if you sent money.
- In the US, report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.
- If someone is threatening to share intimate images, don’t pay. Report them in the app, and use StopNCII.org to help stop the images being posted on major platforms.
Being scammed isn’t a sign you were careless. These scripts are run by organised groups who do this all day.