Photos and Dating

The New US Romance Scam Law (Oct 2026): What Dating Apps Must Now Tell You, and How to Spot a Money Scam Early

How do you spot a fake dating profile or a romance scam? The biggest signs are someone who moves fast to another app, will not video call, and eventually needs money. These scams are big business: US romance scam losses hit a record $1.47 billion in 2025, according to FTC data cited by ICIJ, and a new US law signed in October 2026 will make dating apps warn users when someone they talked to is banned for fraud. [1]

Short answer

New law: dating apps must tell you if someone who messaged you was banned for fraud. It takes effect in about a year.
Scale: nearly 1.5 million scammers or bad actors on Tinder and Hinge in the US matched with at least one user through Q3 2025, per a Congress report.
Top signs: too perfect, fast love, moving off app, no video, money asks.
Rule: never send money, gift cards or crypto to someone you have not met.

The new US law

ICIJ reported on October 21, 2026 that the Romance Scam Prevention Act was signed into law and will require online dating services to notify users when someone they have been talking to is banned for fraud. It will be enforced by the FTC and state attorneys general and takes effect in a year. [1]

What it does not do: it will not stop scammers who move you to WhatsApp or text before they are banned. That is why moving off the app early is such a big red flag.

What the Congress report found

The Guardian reported on October 14, 2026 that a congressional investigation into Match Group apps found Tinder "had not updated most of its machine learning models in years" as of the second half of 2025, so it caught scammers less reliably. It also said nearly 500,000 of the bad accounts had exchanged contact information with another user. [2]

One woman told the Guardian she lost almost $100,000 in crypto to a man she met on a dating app. He contacted her constantly and asked for money for work and medical emergencies. [2] "I call it like being in a vortex," she said. [2]

Fake profiles are a top complaint

A November 2026 survey from Stud or Dud, a people search company that sells date research tools, said 46% of daters named fake or misleading profiles as their top frustration, and 57% had caught a date lying. [3] It is a commercial survey without a published sample size, but it matches what the Congress report found.

How to spot a fake profile (original checklist)

[ ] Photos look like a model shoot, or there are only one or two.
[ ] Bio is vague or does not match how they write in chat.
[ ] Job is far away or hard to check: oil rig, military overseas, ship engineer, "crypto investor."
[ ] They want to move to WhatsApp, Telegram or text right away.
[ ] They will not video call, or the camera is "broken."
[ ] They say "I love you" or talk about your future within days.
[ ] They have a sudden emergency: hospital, customs fee, frozen bank account.
[ ] They want to teach you to invest, often in crypto.

Two or more of these, slow down. A money ask is the end of the conversation.

Quick checks before you meet (original)

Video call. Five minutes is enough. Real people can do it.
Reverse image search one or two photos.
Check verification on the app.
Google their name with their city and job.
Ask a specific question about something in their photos. Scammers often do not know the details.

If you think you are being scammed

Stop sending money right away, even if they say it is the last time.
Do not send ID photos or bank details.
Save the messages and profile.
Report the profile in the app.
In the US, report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. In the UK, report to Action Fraud.
Call your bank right away if you sent money. Sometimes it can be stopped.
Tell someone you trust. Scammers count on shame to keep you quiet.

Why smart people fall for this

These scams work because they are built to. Scammers have scripts, talk to you every day, and make you feel special. Falling for one is not about being dumb. It is about being targeted.

Common scam scripts (original)

The investor: "I made a lot with this crypto app. Let me show you how." Then your money is "stuck" until you pay a fee.
The overseas worker: "I'm on a rig or deployed, I can't video call." Then he needs money for a flight home or a customs fee.
The emergency: a sick child, a hospital bill, a frozen account.
The sextortion trap: he pushes for intimate photos fast, then threatens to share them unless you pay. Do not pay. Stop replying, save everything and report it.

Quick takeaway

US romance scam losses hit a record $1.47 billion in 2025, per FTC data cited by ICIJ.

A new US law will make apps warn you when a match is banned for fraud.

Red flags: fast love, moving off app, no video, money or crypto talk.

Never send money to someone you have not met, and report scams fast.

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