THE SHORT VERSION
Never send money or gifts to someone you haven’t met in person. If an online partner asks, stop talking with them and tell someone you trust.
A familiar situation
Imagine someone you met online writes every day, says they love you, and works far away. Then a sudden emergency means they need money for a ticket or a fee. The pattern matters more than the story.
1. Know the pattern
The FTC describes contact through a dating app or social media, a quick move to another platform, fast declarations of love, a reason they can’t meet, and then a request for money or an offer to help you invest in cryptocurrency.
2. Check quietly
Talk with a trusted friend or family member. Search their job together with the word “scammer,” and try a reverse image search on their profile photo to see whether it appears under other names.
3. Stop, then report
Stop communicating. If you paid by gift card, wire, card or cryptocurrency, contact that company or your bank right away and ask for a refund. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the app or site where you met.
One thing to try today
Practice a reverse image search on a photo you took yourself, so you know how it works if you ever need to check a profile picture.
Read more from trusted sources
General educational guidance. If you believe someone has stolen your information or money, use the official recovery guidance at IdentityTheft.gov or ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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