Finding out the person you’ve been talking to was a scammer stings, and reporting is probably not the first thing on your mind. It’s still one of the most useful steps you can take next. A report can help you try to recover money, and it feeds the agencies that build cases against scammers. Here’s where to report and what to have ready before you start.
Why reporting a dating scam is worth your time
It’s easy to assume a report disappears into a void. It doesn’t. When you report a scam to the Federal Trade Commission, investigators use your information to build cases, and other law enforcement agencies can see your report and use it in their own investigations. The FTC sues scammers and works to shut them down.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, known as the IC3, is the central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime. Combined with other data, your report helps the FBI investigate crimes, track trends and, in some cases, even freeze stolen funds. Scammers rarely target just one person, so your report may be the piece that stops someone else from falling for the same story.
Gather your evidence before you report
A few minutes of collecting details makes every report stronger. Save the following, ideally before you block the account:
- Screenshots of the profile, including the username, photos and any bio details
- The app or site where you met, and whether the person moved you to text, email or another platform
- Copies or screenshots of your conversations, especially the parts about money
- Payment details: how much you sent, when, and how, including any bank accounts, phone numbers, mailing addresses or links the person gave you
- For cryptocurrency transfers, the wallet addresses, the type and amount of crypto, transaction hashes, and the dates and times
If you haven’t sent money but the person asked, include that too. It still shows investigators how the scheme works.
File a report with the FTC and the FBI’s IC3
Start with the FTC. You can file at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or by phone at 1-877-382-4357. Filing a complaint helps the FTC’s investigators identify scammers and stop them before they reach someone else.
Then file a complaint with the IC3 at ic3.gov. Include as much information as you can: a description of your interaction with the person, how contact was initiated, the type of communication, the purpose of the request for money, how you were told to make payment, and what information you gave the scammer.
Safety note
Scammers impersonate the IC3 and FBI agents, sometimes with fake websites or AI-generated videos, and claim they’ve recovered victims’ funds. The IC3 will never contact you directly asking for information or money, and government agents never ask for fees, wire transfers or gift cards.
If you’re 60 or older and need help filing an IC3 complaint, the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Hotline is available at 1-833-372-8311.
Report the profile inside the dating app
Reporting the profile through the app itself is a separate step, and it matters. The company can remove the account, block reused details like photos and phone numbers, and warn other users. Use the report option on the profile or in the chat, then block the person.
Rushing you off the platform is one of the classic moves scammers use, since dating apps scan for and remove bad accounts. Our guide to the stories romance scammers tell covers the patterns worth knowing.
If you sent money: banks, gift cards and wire transfers
Scammers deliberately ask for payment methods that are hard to reverse. Your money may already be gone, but the FTC says it’s always worth asking the company you used to send it. Move quickly, because speed matters:
| How you paid | What to do first |
|---|---|
| Zelle or a bank transfer | Report to your bank or credit union immediately and ask them to reverse the payment |
| Payment app like Venmo, Cash App or PayPal | Report it to the payment app immediately and ask for a refund |
| Wire transfer through Western Union or MoneyGram | Report to the wire transfer company, tell them a scammer tricked you, and ask for your money back |
| Credit or debit card | Call the number on the back of the card immediately and ask the issuer to refund the charge |
| Gift card | Contact the company that issued the card and ask whether anything can be done |
| Cryptocurrency | Include the wallet addresses, transaction hashes, amounts and dates in your IC3 report |
Cryptocurrency transfers are generally irrevocable, so they usually can’t be reversed, but law enforcement can sometimes trace them on the blockchain. That’s why the transaction details matter so much in your complaint.
What happens after you report, and where to get support
The IC3 cannot guarantee a response to every complaint and does not provide status updates. If investigators need more information, someone will contact you. That silence can feel discouraging, but the report is still on file and still useful.
Expect a second wave of scams. People who have already lost money are prime targets for “recovery” offers, fake FBI agents and spoofed IC3 websites. Anyone who promises to get your funds back for a fee is lying.
The emotional side is real too. People who experience financial crimes commonly report shame, anger, guilt and isolation, and there is no reason to carry that alone. The Identity Theft Resource Center offers free support for victims, and the group Fight Cybercrime runs a peer support program specifically for romance scam survivors. If the scammer is threatening to share your private photos, our guide to sextortion and intimate images explains how to get help.
If you’re still unsure whether a match is genuine, our guide to verifying a match walks through the checks that take minutes and catch most fakes before any money changes hands.
To keep in mind
- Report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
- Before you report, save screenshots of the profile, conversations, payment details, amounts, dates and any crypto transaction hashes.
- If you sent money, contact your bank, payment app or wire transfer company immediately and ask to reverse the payment.
- The IC3 cannot promise a response or status updates, but reports help the FBI investigate and, in some cases, freeze stolen funds.
- Anyone claiming they can recover your money for a fee, or contacting you as the IC3, is running a second scam.
Asked often
Should I report a dating scam if I didn’t lose money?
Yes. The IC3 asks people to file a report even if they are unsure the complaint qualifies or no financial loss occurred. Reports help agencies see patterns and warn others.
Will the FBI or the FTC contact me after I report?
The IC3 cannot guarantee a response to every complaint and does not provide status updates, though someone may contact you if more information is needed. Neither agency will ever call you asking for money or fees.
Can I get my money back after a romance scam?
Possibly, if you act fast. Contact the company you used to send the money, whether that’s your bank, a payment app or a wire transfer service, and ask them to reverse it. Cryptocurrency transfers generally cannot be reversed.
Someone offered to recover my lost funds. Is that legit?
No. The IC3 will never ask for payment to recover lost funds or refer you to a company that charges for recovery. The FBI says these offers are a ruse to take money from people who already lost money.
This guide is general information, not medical, legal or professional advice. If you’re in danger, call 911. For confidential support, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or RAINN at 1-800-656-4673.
