Romance scam statistics (2026)
Online dating is mainstream — and so is the fraud that rides on it. Here is what the reported numbers say about romance scams and catfishing heading into 2026, the red flags behind them, and how to check a date before you meet.
Romance and dating scams by the numbers
Reported US figures heading into 2026 — government fraud data and published industry surveys. The totals are floors, not ceilings: these crimes are heavily under-reported.
| Figure | What it measures | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $823M | US romance-scam losses reported in 2024 | FTC Consumer Sentinel |
| $1.14B | US romance-scam losses reported in 2023 | FTC |
| $672M | Confidence/romance-fraud losses across 17,910 reports, 2024 | FBI IC3 |
| $2,000 | Median reported loss per romance-scam victim, 2023 | FTC |
| ~$37.5K | Average loss per victim in FBI complaints, 2024 | FBI IC3 |
| 52% | Online daters who think they have encountered a scammer | Pew Research, 2023 |
Figures are reported third-party statistics (US FTC consumer-fraud reporting and published industry surveys), summarized here for reference. They describe the scam landscape, not Offendersearch data.
What the numbers mean
Hundreds of millions of dollars a year, across two separate federal datasets, is not a fringe problem — it is a normal part of the online-dating experience now. FTC-reported losses eased from $1.14 billion in 2023 to $823 million in 2024, but the totals are floors, not ceilings: romance-scam victims report at far lower rates than other fraud victims out of embarrassment, so the true numbers are higher. And the harm is concentrated — older adults are much more likely than younger adults to lose money to a romance scam, with median losses among the oldest victims running into the thousands. The pattern is consistent: a fast emotional bond, a reason never to meet, and eventually a request for money.
How the money moves — and where contact starts
The FTC’s breakdown of romance-scam reports shows a consistent playbook in how victims are asked to pay and where scammers first make contact.
How to protect yourself before you meet
- Run a dating background check. Confirm the name against 58 US sex offender registries and criminal records — how to check a date.
- Insist on a live video call. Scammers avoid real-time video; a refusal is a decisive signal.
- Never send money or gift cards. No genuine partner you have not met needs a wire transfer.
- Keep watching. A person monitor ($3/mo) tells you if someone you are seeing is ever added to a registry.
Romance scam statistics: FAQ
How much do romance scams cost victims?
The FTC reported $823 million in US romance-scam losses in 2024 (down from $1.14 billion in 2023), and the FBI’s IC3 logged $672 million across 17,910 confidence-fraud complaints in 2024 — an average near $37,500 per victim. The 2023 FTC median loss was about $2,000. Because these crimes are heavily under-reported, the true totals are higher than any published figure.
How common are dating scams?
Pew Research found that 52% of US online daters think they have encountered a scammer on a dating site or app — higher among younger men. Online dating is mainstream, and so, now, is the fraud that rides on it.
What are the biggest red flags?
Refusing to meet or video-call, professing love unusually fast, pushing the conversation off the dating app to WhatsApp or Telegram within a few messages, and — the decisive one — asking for money or gift cards. Off-platform-contact pressure is the fastest-growing red flag category.
How do I protect myself?
Verify before you meet: confirm the name against the sex offender registries and criminal records, insist on a live video call, and never send money. A dating background check confirms the identity and history you were given are real, and a person monitor keeps watching after the first date.
Offendersearch is not a consumer reporting agency and results are not a consumer report. Use them for personal safety only.
Check before you meet
Search a name free across 58 US registries and criminal records, then set a $3/mo alert to keep watching.