Know the signs
Dating Scams Over 50: How to Spot Them and What to Do
The warning signs, the official figures and what to do if you have already paid.
Between them, the FTC, AARP and Age UK flag money requests, a refused video call, a push to another app, investment tips and over-the-top affection. The FTC says never to send money or gifts before meeting in person and, if you paid by gift card, wire transfer, card or cryptocurrency, to contact the company or your bank.
Official Figures on Dating Scams
| Source | What it reported |
|---|---|
| FBI IC3 (US) | In 2025 complaints to the FBI’s IC3 reported 929 million US dollars lost to confidence fraud, a category covering dating, family and friendship cons. People 60 and over reported 584 million, up from 389 million in 2024. |
| FTC (US) | In 2025 nearly 60% of people who reported losing money to what the FTC calls “romance scams” said it began on social media, and 298 million US dollars of the reported losses started there. The FTC collected no reports during the 2025 shutdown. |
| Report Fraud (UK) | In 2025 Report Fraud received 10,784 reports of dating fraud, up 29% on 2024, with more than 102 million pounds reported lost; people aged 55 to 74 accounted for nearly half the total stolen. Read from an archived copy of its 4 May 2026 release. |
| ACCC (Australia) | In 2025 the ACCC ranked dating scams third by reported losses, at 139.9 million Australian dollars. Read from an archived copy of its 30 March 2026 release. |
Six Red Flags to Watch For
- Money, in any form
- Gift cards were again the payment method people 60 and over reported most on these scams, the FTC’s 2024 data show.
- Excuses not to meet
- AARP, in a December 2025 article for over 50s, calls a refusal to do a video call a huge red flag. The FTC says scammers claim to be on an oil rig, in the military or abroad.
- A switch to another app
- AARP calls eagerness to leave the app for WhatsApp a red flag, because dating apps use algorithms to catch scammers.
- Feelings in fast forward
- Age UK flags devotion within days or weeks, chats that turn personal fast and requests for secrecy.
- Investment tips
- IC3 says crypto investment scammers may start on dating apps, then show you fake profits.
- Sextortion
- The FTC says some scammers trick people into sending intimate photos, then threaten to send the images to their social media contacts unless they pay.
How to Spot a Fake Profile or a Catfish
Age UK lists no trace online, photos that do not match and a story that does not add up as catfish signs.
The photo
The FTC says to run a reverse image search on the profile picture; one tied to another name signals a scam. Which? names Google image search or TinEye.
The name and story
Age UK suggests searching the name, profile pictures or repeated phrases with the words dating scam. The FTC suggests the job plus the word scammer.
The person
Which? lists stolen or AI-generated pictures as signs of a fake, and so is a contact who never appears on a video call.
What to Do If You Have Been Scammed
- Stop and report. The FTC says to stop communicating with the person immediately and to tell the site or app where you met.
- Contact the company or your bank. If you paid by gift card, wire transfer, credit or debit card or cryptocurrency, the FTC says to do it right away, tell them you paid a scammer and ask for your money back. Age UK suggests the number on your card, or 159 in the UK.
Where the sources say to report it:
- United States: the FTC and, as AARP advises, your local police and the FBI’s IC3.
- United Kingdom: Report Fraud. An archived copy of its site, dated 11 October 2026, says it is for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and asks people in Scotland to report via 101.
- Australia: Scamwatch (ACCC) and IDCARE, the identity and cyber support service, on 1800 595 160.
Recovery fees. The FTC says never to pay upfront for help getting money back, and that scammers buy lists of past victims and pose as government agencies, a consumer advocacy group or a law firm.
Tools That Help You Spot Trouble Early
- The site watches for attempts to move a chat to WhatsApp or a similar app, and warns you.
- AI behaviour monitoring watches for suspicious activity.
- Blocking is instant, and the site lets you report a profile or a message.
- Optional ID verification, at no charge, puts a badge on your profile. A moderator can also check you on a live video call: no documents, no badge.
See the safety page, is Naughty Seniors legit, meeting someone safely and the profile tips.
Dating Scam Questions, Answered
How can I tell if a dating profile is fake?
The FTC says to run a reverse image search on the profile picture. Age UK lists a story that does not add up as a warning sign, and AARP calls a refused video call a huge red flag.
Are seniors more likely to report an online dating scam loss?
The FTC’s 2024 data, published in December 2025, found people 60 and over 39% more likely than younger people to report losing money to a dating scam. The figures count reports, not who scammers pick.
What should I do if I have already sent money?
The FTC says to stop communicating with the person immediately, contact the company or your bank if you paid, and tell the site where you met. Its December 2023 advice says anyone asking for an upfront fee to recover your money is a scammer.
Sources and Dates
- FBI IC3: 2025 IC3 Annual Report.
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC): social media scams spotlight, April 2026; Protecting Older Consumers, 1 December 2025; recovery scam alert, 3 August 2026; scam advice, August 2022; refund advice, December 2023.
- Report Fraud, City of London Police: news release, 4 May 2026 (archived copy); Report Fraud home page (archived copy, 11 October 2026).
- Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC): Targeting Scams Report release, 30 March 2026 (archived copy); Scamwatch (archived 2024 copy).
- Age UK, 13 April 2026; AARP, 11 December 2025 and 16 April 2026; Which?, 12 February 2026; IDCARE, read 19 October 2026.
General information, not legal or financial advice. The sources point victims to their bank and a fraud reporting service.