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Image of cupid and heartNot everyone using online dating sites is looking for love. Scammers create fake online profiles using photos of other people — even stolen pictures of real military personnel. They profess their love quickly. And they tug at your heartstrings with made-up stories about how they need money — for emergencies, hospital bills, or travel. Why all of the tricks? They’re looking to steal your money.

As if all that isn’t bad enough, romance scammers are now involving their victims in online bank fraud. Here’s how it works: The scammers set up dating profiles to meet potential victims. After they form a “relationship,” they come up with reasons to ask their love interest to set up a new bank account. The scammers transfer stolen money into the new account, and then tell their victims to wire the money out of the country. Victims think they’re just helping out their soulmate, never realizing they’re aiding and abetting a crime.  

Here are some warning signs that an online love interest might be a fake. They ask you to:

  • chat off of the dating site immediately, using personal email, text, or phone
  • wire money using Western Union or Money Gram
  • set up a new bank account

Did you know you can do an image search of your love interest’s photo in your favorite search engine? If you do an image search and the person’s photo appears under several different names, you’re probably dealing with a scammer. And if the person’s online profile disappears a few days after they meet you, that’s another tip-off.

Here’s the real deal: Don’t send money to someone you met online — for any reason. If your online sweetheart asks for money, you can expect it’s a scam.

Unfortunately, online dating scams are all too common. There may be tens of thousands of victims, and only a small fraction report it to the FTC. If this happens to you, please report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

A woman looking at a dating site on her computer.

It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.

The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

It’s me
March 21, 2018

In reply to by FTC Staff

Is there anyway to connect with other people and exchange information or no?
FTC Staff
March 22, 2018

In reply to by It’s me

You're welcome to post comments about your experience. You can also help law enforcement by reporting to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint. When you report details about your experience, the information goes into a secure database that the FTC and other law enforcement agencies across the country use for investigations. You can choose how much information to give about yourself.

The FTC publishes an annual report about consumer complaints. In 2017, imposter scams, which includes romance imposters, were #3 on the list of reported problems. The top three were debt collection, identity theft and imposter scams.

georgia
March 15, 2018

I met this guy from FB, introduced himself as a civil engineer from Edinburgh Scotland, even gave me the name of the company where he works. He said he is a widower with a 10 yr. old daughter. He works as a private contractor. He travels all over the world. He said that he is looking for the right woman for him to spend the rest of his life. We start talking around thanksgiving last year and he start professing his love to me and I ended up telling him that I care for him too. We start texting back and forth or talking on the phone before we go to bed and getting up in the morning. We r having the relationship for the period of two months. He mentioned earlier that he is going to Malaysia to sign one of his business contracts. He left for ‘Malaysia in the middle of January, called me whe he arrived to Malaysia.

The first week he mentioned that he has to import machinery from China and that cost him $477,310 thousand dollars . He never mention anything during our two months of our relationship about any money. Listen to this, a week after he text me that he is in trouble that he is ashamed to ask me but he needs money for his hotel bills and food etc . When he told me about his problem, I was sleeping and I told him right away that a man like him with a big business and spending thousands of dollars don’t even have any money to pay for food and his hotel bills. At that time it raises red flags on me. I told him I am retired woman and I don’t have any money to send him.

A day after he apologized and said that his finance guy send him the money so I don’t have to worry about him. So our relationship still continues telling me how he loves me and talking about moving here in the US and I start believing the guy getting really in love with him. He send me some of his pictures and I send some of my pictures. This guy he even send me is passport picture because I told him I start not to trust him. So to make the story short I did some investigation and I checked his picture and passport and I was so distraught and shocked that both of the pictures are fake.

This guy use someones picture and identity. So I called him right away and I told him all the names u could imagine. Then he text me back to and calling me an idiot for believing what I found out. I told him he is a scammer and I will report him to the FBI . I’m glad I never sent him any money and I follow my gut feeling that there is something wrong with this kind of love. This guy uses the picture of a Prime Minister in UK and that is the picture I fell I’m love with.

Mikefamman90
March 15, 2018
Hi, a woman named Mary Greg contacted me wanting me to be her next of kin. I don't know her, but her bank manager wants $75 for fees to become her next of kin to receive her funds if she dies. Is this real?
FTC Staff
March 15, 2018

In reply to by Mikefamman90

This could be a scam. It sounds like a prize scam. That's when someone says you won a prize, (and they won't say how much it is) but they want you to pay a fee before you get the prize. If the person tells you to wire the money, that's a big sign of a scam.

Loonie Toones
March 16, 2018

In reply to by FTC Staff

Sounds like the earlier days of the Internet. Seems to be still going strong.
Confused Girl
March 15, 2018
Anyone been scammed by the name of Mark Austin, American from Houston, Engineer. Very handsome, lovely smile, God fearing, loves family, widowed, Son 11, a younger Daughter, no other family. He is in linkedIn and Instagram. Met him in Tagged. I happen to believed he is for real he asked for money not once. 2nd time wake me up and everything else fell apart. How they can use other peoples photos and details for such things.
georgia
March 15, 2018
RETIRED LADIES ALERT!!! Beware with this guy he said he is from Edinburgh Scotland, he uses the name of Kevin Greg Williams he says he is in Malaysia with contract business, he is romance scam and he will ask u later to pay his bills. “ Don’t get fooled by these scammers”
Broken bird
March 15, 2018
I am sure I have been scammed too. He goes by the name Michael kwasi Oppong from Ghana. 2 children in boarding school and needs money for their fees.He is stuck in cuba with his company, property development. If I can pay for his fare back to America $900. I refused he got angry with me I haven't heard from him since. Smooth talking and a charming guy. I recently heard a group of ghanaians have been charged for romance scam in ohio columbus. I really fell for him.
georgia
March 15, 2018
Just watch out for these scammers!! They know how to work on widowers or any woman who r looking for relationship . As soon I found out that he is a scammer he got mad and call me stupid and I’m the one who is the scammer and my generation. I got the pictures and copy of his passport which is fake and I told him he was reported to the FBI . I got his number but he took it down. So everyone be careful for this heartless pigs.
Liisa
March 15, 2018
Anyone hear from a Wayne Falco Ronny. Says his wife died, from the IK, has a son who also died and has a 6 year daughter being raised by his uncle in Spain. Says he’s a civil engineer.
Liisa
June 22, 2018

In reply to by Liisa

Yes, have been communicating with him. Apparently now in jail in Nigeria.
Need help
March 16, 2018

I truly believe my friend is being scammed,She is talking with a Well known Performer who is worth Millon's but he needs money from her to pay for their security while the go out,He tells her he loves her but I know he is full of crap.

This person has asked her toopen a new account and she did exactly that, He called her babu along sith many other sweet names,They only text but that's it. Help me please

FTC Staff
March 16, 2018

In reply to by Need help

You might tell your friend that some scammers pretend to be famous people so they can take money from innocent people. She could turn the tables on the imposter and help law enforcement - and the famous person she admires - by reporting the imposter.

The scammer may have asked her to open a new account becuase some scammers use people to help them transfer stolen money. They form "relationships", then ask their new sweethearts to open a new account. Then they ask their victims to receive and transfer money.

If a victim cooperates, her name is on the bank account and on the money transfer forms. If she is involved with one of these schemes, she could lose money and personal information, and she could get into legal trouble.

Need help
March 16, 2018

In reply to by FTC Staff

She has already sent money twice to this piece of crap,The bank lady warned her she did not listen.She truly thinks she is going on vacation with him next month and they are getting married.This person is sending fake emails as well stating the meeting is going to happen soon.I tried to warn her and she gets so angry.I actually messaged the real artist who has been verified on Facebook and IG and told him but no response he probably thinks I'm crazy..My friend has told this liar everything as well as sent pics and he knows where she lives.. Can he use this pics against her?
FTC Staff
March 16, 2018

In reply to by Need help

You might report the imposter's account to the social media site he is using. If you think a scammer is receiving money by wire transfer, you could report that to the wire transfer company Call the Western Union Fraud Hotline at 800-448-1492 or the MoneyGram Customer Care Center at 1‑800‑926‑9400. You could ask your local police, sheriff or bank manager if someone could talk to your friend about what happens if a person helps a scammer with a bank transaction or transferring money.

Confused Girl
March 16, 2018

In reply to by FTC Staff

is it possible that they uses real names too? Like when sending money thru western union they will ask for their IDs and shoild match their names on the money transfers. Also Linkedin account looks real, does it mean these are all scams too?
GB1030
March 16, 2018
The other day I looking on Scam Warners website and found a Jessica Linch profile. She is now a LT. General in the Army. I also found a fake profile of Beu Berdaule. He was the troop who abandon his post in Afghanistan then tried for treason. He is now a Major General in the Army to. This is crazy.
I've Lost Everything
March 16, 2018
When you send money using money gram, they just have to show an "id" (even fake) and the conf. number. My opinion is that those scammers, those who are well organized, have some money gram clerks working with/for them as well.
Don't use your…
March 16, 2018

normally I do not except FB friends if I don't know them but this one I did then he saw my picture and right away he wanted me/ well one comment lead to another until I fell into the love romance scheme told me alot about himself and that he was the oil driller out in Texas he sent me a picture of him on the rig.when he finished in Tx.they sent him to Santa Barbara,Ca about two weeks before he was to finish he said he liked four drillls and the machine broke and had no means out in the Ocean of getting any funds to have it fixed so finally he asked for help if I could help him it would cost 15,000 to fix if he had half he would the balance when he got home so I like a fool sent him 7000. and he finished up his job and now saying this boss will not release his funds because he did not finish his contract on time now he is saying the co.he worked for on contract will not release his funds because he went over his contract that he cannot leave the ship without the clearance coverage of 21,000

.so now he is still begging for help to get off the this ship so he can come and meet me I tryed pulling up his name and the information wants me to pay for that information and I feel it is to high so he says he lives in Salisbury,NC and want to take me their,he said they threatened to throw him overboard if he did not come up with the money because he is holding up the ship .can the port hold him their and not release the money owed him this way or is the trying to scam me into that much more money.

the did let me see the funds in his account but had not been released at that time that is what I do know if the funds has been transfered out of state or into another account all I have is his word of payback on the money already been given his name is Jack Herrington so tell me what to do or what I should do if he is truely honest I will feel so bad

FTC Staff
March 16, 2018

In reply to by Don't use your…

This sounds like a scam. The stories he's been telling you are similar to stories other people write about here.

For example, he claims to be an American professional oil driller, but he has many problems that require large sums of money. Although he is supposed to be a professional working for a corporation, he does not have corporate funds, or a corporate account to manage his business, so he asks someone he recently met online to give him thousands of dollars.

He promises to come home soon, but keeps having disasters and asks you for more money. It's ok for you to say no, or block him on social media if you don't want to send more money. Scammers change names and pictures, and take pictures from other people's social media accounts. It can be hard to know if someone is "real" or not by looking for pictures. You could read some other comments here to see the stories other people have heard from people they met online.

Bigdog
November 01, 2020

In reply to by FTC Staff

This sounds like a guy I was texting in 2018. He kept telling me he was in MI on a rig. He needed to get oil for his machine and he had to pay for a tv he broke. Than he needed a tooth pulled. There was so many things and I fell in love with him. He actually did video chats with me making it look like the guy he pretended to be. I sent everything I had to him, so I had to beg my mom to help me get a car. I know at least over 50 guys I have text are scammers. I do keep pictures of the guys they pretend to be. At least there is 5 guys using the same picture of one. The other at least 3. How can you really find love on line anymore. I accuse everyone of being a scammer anymore.
Tokindhearted
March 16, 2018
: have been talking to a person who says he is a military guy in Iraq. For 2 years he said someone stole his identity and he is getting scammed but now l believe that l am the one who is getting scammed he said he has no children but l have 3 different women say he has 6 different profiles on face book l talk with him on hangouts he goes by Wiseman
Winter
March 16, 2018
Has anyone been scam by Andrew Nepal Johnson
Jtroncoso
March 16, 2018
Has ANY ONE EVER HEARD OF A JASON HARDAWAY
Frustrated
March 17, 2018
Someone going by the name of Richard Kiley just tried to scam me out of $15,700. I had connected with him on match. He had a very strong german accent. We had been communicating for 6 weeks. His story was he lived in Grand Rapids Michigan, but had a company with contracts working on airplanes and traveled abroad often. After texting/emailing and talking on the phone for 2 weeks, he had to go do Mayalsia for a job. He was supposed to be gone for 2 weeks, then delayed a week for work problems, then delayed because an accident at the site and someone died and he was being sued. As you can guess, he wanted me to send money to Malaysia to help him finish paying off the debt from being sued, so he could return to me in the states. I told him I would not send him money and he continued to email me, but I blocked him from my email/phone and notified match. He sent me sweet messages in email/text and he would call me from both a Grand Rapids phone number and a Malaysian phone number.
Confused Girl
March 23, 2018

In reply to by Frustrated

i think i am scammed with the same man or from the same group of scammers, but why is it that all of them used Malaysia, Australia and Usa? He also said he will be at Malasia for 2-3weeks then on his 1st week he got troubled on his card and do not have cash with him, he dont have food and cant pay hotel bills etc.. that his bank will need 25 days to get the new card, etc. then after a week again asking for more money and that his new card is further delayed for another 15 days. ofcorse i got the hint and ride on his game but didnt send money and continune talking. i will wait whats next he will say or do or ask after the days that he mentioned comes and will never send money at all. he even ask to usè Bitcoin to help him which i dont have any idea how it works. i asked him to send his passport copy or driving liscense but he could not sent saying its not with him and it was taken by the hotel. so thats another hint he is lying.
Maria
March 17, 2018
A man named Morgan Billy connected with Linked In. Oil rig engineer..has pkg.he needs me to receive..now shipping company needs $3250.00 to be sent...anyone hear of this guy?
FTC Staff
March 19, 2018

In reply to by Maria

This could be a scam. When you meet someone online, and he wants to send you a package, but says you must pay for it, that is a sign of a scam. He may claim that the shipment contains valuable documents, equipment or even gold. You may get calls or emails from "Customs" or "Tax" agents who demand more money before they will deliver the shipment. This could take a lot of your money.

Su
March 24, 2021

In reply to by Maria

Hi Maria, I met the guy with the same name, I haven’t gotten as far as being asked for anything, only been talking for a few days but my spider sense is sending me alarm, he does have my full name and birthday so hope he can’t do anything with that. But I wonder if it’s the same man. Is there a way to share pictures? How can we better report these type of scams if we can’t share picture. His name is Antonio Morgan Billy but goes by Morgan Billy, claim to have a birthday on May 5th 1970. Same guy? His scam job is Architect Engineering who apparently doesn’t do video calls...red flag!
Timoth51
March 17, 2018
I have a friend who has been talking to this guy and texting him for over two and half years named Johnny Carter! She has sent him Money for various reasons but he says he is rich and cannot come back to the USA Because his money is locked into an account! He is in Africa! I am afraid that it's a scam but she is in love with him because he has been calling her and texting her for over two and half years and she can't believe it's a scam when someone talks to you for that long ! What should I tell her?
FTC Staff
March 19, 2018

In reply to by Timoth51

You could offer your friend some information from the blog about warning signs of a scam. You could show her some comments that other people have written about their experiences.

Cdtampa
March 20, 2018

In reply to by FTC Staff

I'm a friend of the gentleman by the name of Dalton Benoit that someone on here posted several of the articles about this man. He is someone whom I know personally and is far from a scammer. He is devastated to find out someone claimed him as a scammer. His identity was stolen as for his pictures as well. He is not a US military man serving in Nigeria either. He has a good job. So could you find whom these other people are that wrote articles on my friend. I would like to settle this once and for all cause this is ruining his identity. Thank you
LostAllHope
December 09, 2018

In reply to by Cdtampa

Hi there, not really sure how we can connect on here, but I have been in communication with who I believed was Dalton Benoit for the last 7 months. I would love to talk to someone about him.
Discouraged
November 16, 2019

In reply to by LostAllHope

I am now messaging with a guy who calls himself Dalton Benoit! He keeps saying how scared he is being on the site because of all the scammers and keeps asking me to give him my cell so we can message off of the site. I’ve dealt with so many scammers and I don’t give my number out anymore because I’ve had some really scary experiences! I’d love to know if he is fake! No kids and a contract engineer also says he lives in Turnersville NJ.
Hammertime2018
March 17, 2018
I am talking to a John T. Morrison.From Baltimore,Maryland. He is 57-years old White man. He is working in Nigeria.His daughter is 27-years old. Her name is Laura. His wife died 8-years ago. He is asking for money each month for something. He is always in trouble. Very needy.
Broken
March 17, 2018
FYI : Jeff Clark is a scammer. Don’t fall for him.
Jan
March 17, 2018
Does anyone here knows about a man called Charles Kovac?
georgia
March 17, 2018
I left a comment dated 03/14/18 and posted it about the guy who I met in FB. He is using a name of Kevin Greg Williams which I found it is fake. We had a 2 months relationship, he said he is a civil engineer and now he is in Malaysia doing some construction contract. He start asking me to help him to pay for his hotel and food bills. Thank God that I’m glad I saw the red flag and I told him I’m a retired woman and I can’t help him and he gets mad and called me an idiot because I called him a scammer. He is using someones identity and when I did my investigation he was using a picture of a politician in UK. He let me fell in love with him and up to now I m still in denial. I know God will going to help me to forget him. So widower be aware about this guy. Can u check what happened to my first post, I just want to check if someone took it down . Thams
Confused Girl
March 20, 2018

In reply to by georgia

I have met the similar man and he is based in Australia and needs to travel to Malaysia for some materials purchase, after a week asking for money to pays his bills as his card didnt works and would take 25 days to replace. he sents screen shot of his bank acct showing his name Bank of America. that time on i started to doubt. i asked his full name and he gave and browse it on IG FB and Linkedin all okay and consistent to what he says he is (ofcors he doesnt know i am testing him). But i coudnt believe is he does not have any one to ask for money or anyone from those he is working with to help that sounds strange to me. He said he will come visit me to meet in person, until that day will come i consider him as not true and could be one of those scammers. Why is it that most of them use civil engineer and in malaysia almost similar reason to get money? is it possible that they are the same person or part of a group of scammers? where are they gettung photos they sends? Why the name and persons identity looks real?
fungirl
March 17, 2018
Has anyone every heard of a Frank Cattely or a Frank Harris?
Found a Scamme…
March 19, 2018

Be careful with a guy named, George Harry from Japan as he claimed. Said that He's an engineer. He almost scammed a friend, asking for a help, send him money bec. he lost his wallet. He claimed to be very religious and came over in the Philippines to attend a Christian Worship conference. A Filipinas is helping her to scam professional ladies, with good work and so. They are using these numbers: +81345404968 +639498945481 They are professional scammers and liars.

potato
March 21, 2018

In reply to by Found a Scamme…

thank you for this. I think this is the same George who texted me via viber today. He told me same story as what you said.
liza
July 09, 2018

In reply to by Found a Scamme…

Same here.the japan number is still active. They are also in OKcupid. Thanks for the info.
Strawberry
July 18, 2021

In reply to by fairy

Same, I’ve been scammed by this number too. Too bad, I am so naive that time and have sent him money. Hopefully, there will be no more victim as it can affect ones mental state.
MMM
December 25, 2019

In reply to by Found a Scamme…

Goerge Beal +81345404968 Engineer from Japan. I guess he is the same guy who asked me. and used the same "i lost my wallet , blah blah, and i attended church in Victory church story". I sent him money because i really thought he is really needy. He is based in Cebu,Philippines. I forgot where because it happened i guess feb or March of 2018. I sent him money tru LBC here in Philippines. He is asking for 20,000 pesos. i only sent 11,000.00 plus fees. He said, he will return the money to me when we meet. I never suspected him of anything because i thought he is real. AFter he got the money, he blocked me. What a hard lesson for me. I met him in OKC by the way.
loonie tunes
March 18, 2018
PS. John Mike did send me four pictures, but I think they are someone's stolen identity. I really have no idea who he really is.
Worried22
March 18, 2018
Anybody here dealt with Andrez Antonio Garrick. He claims to be from Polland working under contract on a ship off the coast of California. He is taking with a friend of mine. He has a young daughter and claims to have caught his wife with his best friend, and they divorced. He has already pledged his undying love to my friend and recently told her that he opened a bank account so that they can begin to save o their future. He sent her a pin to access the account. I advised her not to access the account and seek counsel from her bank. Anybody else experiences anything like this or know this guy. Just search his name on FB and him if no there. His photo showed an attractive looking man in his early 40's my friend is in her late 50's.