No matter who you are, online scammers are out to get your money, and they’re not above posing as a lover to get their way. A recent survey from McAfee showed that 1 in 7 American adults (15%) have lost money to an online dating or romance scam. The report also said that of respondents who’ve lost money to an online dating scam, fewer than a quarter (24%) were able to recover all of it. Online dating can be pretty scary, so let’s take a look at common scam tactics to watch out for in 2026.
This article was made possible in part by Incogni. It was written and edited independently without partner oversight.
The Rise of the AI "Beau Bot" #
Humans catfishing fellow humans is a common method of romance scams. McAfee's survey results reveal that 35% of Americans who use dating apps have encountered fake or AI-generated photos or profiles, and 22% of respondents said they’ve been catfishing victims.
That said, many scammers are now automating the process using AI tools. Would-be criminals simply outsource much of the pesky, time-consuming social engineering tasks to AI chatbots. That's right, all a scammer needs to do is use AI to create believable, personalized dating profiles on a few platforms, and then deploy bots to keep conversations going with an unlimited number of victims.
Unfortunately, this method has been incredibly effective for scammers. According to McAfee’s survey, 32% of American adults believe it is possible to develop feelings for an AI agent, though only 9% of the survey respondents admitted to romancing a robot.
Swipe Left on These 5 Romance Scam Red Flags #
Here's how romance scams usually work: A scammer contacts their victims via a dating app, social media, or SMS and starts a conversation.
After building trust, they ask the victim to download an app or visit a website to invest in cryptocurrency. You probably know what's coming next if you've read this far. The victim's banking details are entered, and the criminals clean out the money. Typically, the scammer deletes their dating profile from the platform immediately, leaving the victim high and dry.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, older adults lost $2.4 billion to online fraud in 2024. The biggest losses exceeded $100,000 and were usually attributed to romance scams.
Sometimes there are warning signs that may indicate an online scam is afoot. Below, I’ve summarized the common methods scammers use, and included ideas for combatting the scam before it ensnares you:
1. Fast-Paced "Love Bombing"
Scammers usually try to lock down the relationship quickly. This is known as “love bombing,” in which the scammer tells you everything you could ever want to hear, every day, in an attempt to make you dependent upon them for love, trust, and validation. They may also try to get you to move the conversation off the app where you met and onto a private messaging service so they can circumvent the dating app’s rules.
The easiest way to avoid these types of scammers is to simply stop responding. Don’t give anyone you meet on a dating app or other online platform your real name, phone number, or other personal information right away. Keep the conversations light and don’t let the relationship move too fast.
2. Early Demands for Cash or Account Info
According to McAfee’s research, 53% of respondents said they have been asked to send money or financial info by a romantic interest. Financial requests, in any form, are a giant red flag in online dating.
Scammers may also ask you to receive money for them, or to help them by relaying multi-factor authentication codes. This is an identity theft or account takeover situation waiting to happen. Never share MFA codes with anyone, for any reason.
You can fend off this type of scam by not sending money online to anyone you’ve never met in person. This goes for sharing bank account numbers or credit card numbers, too. Don’t give away financial information to anyone you’ve never met.
3. "Harmless" Chit-Chat Gathering Personal Data
Sometimes, your personal information is even more valuable to a scammer than cash. They (or an AI chatbot) will ask you about your background, your job, your friends, your family, and while you yap away, it’s all becoming fodder for future schemes. Scammers can use the information you’re giving them to build dossiers on the people in your network, so they’ll be bolstered by built-in credibility while trying to get your nephew or cousin wrapped up in a different online scam.
Combat this type of scammer by giving away as little information as possible during the online banter stage of the relationship. Instead, request an in-person meeting as soon as there’s a spark between you. If the person always declines to meet up, it’s time to walk away.
4. Picture-Perfect Profiles and Flawless AI Deepfakes
Always verify whether the person sending you photos is the person you’re speaking to online. AI tools help anyone, including online financial scammers, create believable fake profiles on dating platforms. They can use real people's photos and videos posted on social media platforms to generate new audio and photos that appear indistinguishable from reality.
Scammers also use AI to impersonate people on video calls or live video streams. In other words, be careful, because you can't know if you're being catfished or defrauded until you see your lover in the flesh.
Verify the person’s identity by matching their photos with existing social media profiles they own, and then meet them in person. If the person you meet doesn’t look anything like their picture, cut your losses and run! Don’t send them money, and don’t waste your time any further.
5. Ghosting Any Opportunity for Real-Life Encounters
Some people always have an excuse for not meeting you after you connect on a dating app. The excuses range from “I have to work,” or “I live really far away,” to “My car is in the shop...again.”
Be wary of people who always have an excuse not to meet in person. Maybe they really are a lonely person working on an oil rig, or a marine stationed far from home who never gets any leave, ever. That just means they aren’t compatible with you and your scam-free lifestyle. Stop talking to them and move on.
Smart Rules for Scam-Free Online Dating #
These warnings may sound a bit depressing, but you can still find love and affection online. The important thing is to enter any conversation or relationship with a healthy dose of skepticism and proceed slowly from there.
There are online resources that can help you sniff out potential scams in action, and I’ve made a list of some of the best scam-fighting tools available. Beyond staying vigilant in conversations, taking proactive steps to clean up your digital footprint can drastically reduce your risk. Using personal data removal services to scrub your home address, phone number, and background info from data broker sites keeps your private life out of scammers' hands before you even open a dating app. If you think you’ve been scammed, read my guide for reporting scams and getting recourse.
Ready to dip your toes into the dating pool? Use the above suggestions and check out our picks for the best dating apps.