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Dating scam guide

Fake dating sites and subscription traps

Also known as: fake dating app malware, subscription trap, bot-driven dating site

How it works

Some sites and apps exist mainly to take money or data: they lure sign-ups with fake 'love interest' messages from bots or scam accounts, hide recurring charges, or make cancelling hard. Others are malware disguised as dating or chat apps that, once installed, steal contacts, photos and texts which are then used for extortion. Scammers may also push victims to download a 'better' chat app or join a different site.

Who is targetedNew or returning online daters; users who follow links from matches or ads.
How fast it movesImmediate (on sign-up or install); charges recur monthly.
Typical routeAd, search result, or link from a match -> obscure site or sideloaded app -> card charges or data theft -> possible extortion

Red flags

  • A match asks you to install a different app or join another dating site to keep talking
  • You are asked to download an app from a link rather than an official app store
  • An app asks for access to your contacts, photos and texts to 'register'
  • You get flirty messages right after signing up that push you to pay to read them

Check your match against all 44 red flags

Recent cases

Real cases reported by courts, police, regulators and the press. People facing pending charges are presumed innocent, and private victims are not named.

2025-08-12 · USA · $14 million
The FTC announced Match Group would pay $14 million to settle charges including a deceptive 'six-month guarantee', unfairly suspending users who disputed charges, and making cancellation difficult; the FTC also alleged users were sent ads about messages from accounts Match had already flagged as likely fraudulent.
2025-07-24 · Mainly South Korea; Android and iOS
Zimperium researchers reported the 'SarangTrap' campaign: over 250 malicious fake dating/social apps and 88 phishing domains that stole contacts, private images and SMS; in one case stolen content was used to threaten to expose a victim's videos to his family.

If it is happening to you

  1. Install dating apps only from official app stores and stick to well-known services.
  2. Check permissions; do not grant contact/SMS access to a dating app that doesn't need it.
  3. Review card statements for recurring charges and cancel via your card issuer if needed.
  4. Report deceptive billing to the FTC (US) or relevant consumer regulator; report extortion to police.

Where to report

United Statesreportfraud.ftc.gov – FTC – ReportFraud.ftc.govic3.gov – FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) – type www.ic3.gov directly; IC3 never contacts victims by phone, social media or chat
United Kingdomreportfraud.police.uk – Report Fraud (replaced Action Fraud) – reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040stopscamsuk.org.uk/159 – Call 159 to reach your bank's fraud team safely (covers >99% of UK retail current accounts)
Canadareportcyberandfraud.canada.ca – Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre – reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca or 1-888-495-8501, and your local police
Australiascamwatch.gov.au – Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au); ReportCyber via cyber.gov.au; IDCARE 1800 595 160 for identity recovery

Related scams

Woman reading a message on her phone in bed

Romance scams

A scammer builds an online relationship using a fake or borrowed identity, often over weeks or months, and invests heavily in attention and affection.

Laptop showing a trading chart

Pig butchering

A friendly or flirtatious contact – often on a dating app, social media or a 'wrong number' text – builds a relationship and casually mentions success trading crypto, gold or forex as a 'side job'.

Young man looking at his phone in the dark

Sextortion and image blackmail

The criminal poses as an attractive person (often a young woman) on a dating app, social media or game, flirts quickly, and persuades the target to exchange nude images or join an intimate video call that is secretly recorded.

Sources

Research compiled 28 September 2026.