Every year as Valentine’s Day approaches, many singles reflect on their relationship status and try to look for love. A significant portion of these people will end up searching for companionship or love online. As of 2020, there were estimated to be more than 270 million dating app users globally. ScamAdviser conducted a survey that reveals that a shockingly large number of users of dating sites and apps end up falling victim to various scams.
25% of the participants lost money in a dating scam
1,829 participants from 140 countries answered the survey, mainly single, young (18-35) and male. A staggering 25% of them reported having lost money in a dating scam. The median amount lost was $200 and the highest amount lost was over $1.2 million. Men lose on average three times as much as women. The most named dating scams are extortion scams, investment scams, fake profiles and unexpected requests for money.
On average, participants used 3 different dating sites or apps
The participants report having used 3 dating sites or apps on average within the last 12 months. The fact that the menace of dating scams is widespread throughout the entire online dating app landscape is brought to light as the number of different dating sites and apps named was huge. No single dating app or social media channel was named more than 5 times by the participants. It seems that there is no dating platform that is free from the risk of getting scammed.
Most participants are only moderately happy with their online dating experience
31% of the participants reported being unhappy with their online dating experience, while 32% said that they are moderately happy. 12% were happy and 25% were very happy.
Surprisingly, the Corona pandemic did not have a huge effect on the use of dating sites and apps according to the participants. 36% reported using dating apps less while the same percentage stated using dating sites more.
Do men get scammed for sex; women for love?
42% of the participants visit dating sites with one reason in mind. The prejudice that male data for sex and women for love is not entirely true. 58% of the participants have several goals in mind when dating online, looking for company is the most named reason, closely followed by a search for sex, data or life partner.
27% of the participants reported being confronted with fake profiles
The most named problem was that many of the profiles on dating sites are fake with 27% of the participants saying that they encountered fake profiles. The second most listed issue was that they unexpectedly had to pay money to contact or chat. 40% did not encounter any issues.
37% did not report the scam at all
While only 7% of all scams are reported , this is not the case for Romance scams. More than a third of online dating scams went unreported. The victims did not inform any parties, such as the dating site or app, the bank, law enforcement, consumer protection organizations or online review websites. Those who did report the scam reported it mainly to the dating site or app or to the social media platform used. 77% reported the scam to multiple parties.
GASA and Google Trust & Safety Workshop Sets Priorities for Anti-Scam Cooperation Across Africa
GASA Africa Chapter and Google South Africa brought anti-fraud leaders together to strengthen cross-border cooperation and scam prevention.
Allstate Identity Protection Joins the Global Anti-Scam Alliance to Strengthen the Fight Against Scams and Identity Theft
Allstate Identity Protection has joined the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) as a Corporate Member within the North America Chapter.
GASA and Whoscall Release 2026 Asia Scam Report – Taiwan
The 2026 Asia Scam Report – Taiwan, provides an in-depth look at scam exposure, channels, victim experiences, and scam awareness among people in Taiwan.
BanCoppel joins the Global Anti-Scam Alliance to bolster fraud prevention and safeguard individuals entering the banking system.
BanCoppel has joined the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) as a Corporate Member of the GASA Mexico Chapter.
The emotions scammers exploit: how social engineering influences our decisions
How scammers use fear, urgency, excitement and trust to influence decisions, and how recognising these tactics can help people prevent fraud.
Global Anti-Scam Alliance Welcomes Mastercard as Founding Member of Its Mexico Chapter
The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) announces the membership of Mastercard as a Member of its Mexico Chapter.
What Uganda’s IVR Trial Shows About Practice-Based Scam Prevention
A Uganda IVR trial shows how practice-based fraud prevention helped mobile money users reduce losses and increase reporting.
FTC’s Never EVER Campaign Helps Prevent Elder Financial Abuse With Simple, Specific Scam Warnings
The FTC’s Never EVER campaign uses simple, specific imposter scam warnings to help prevent elder financial abuse and support coordinated consumer education.