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Dating scam guide

Meet-up robbery setups

Also known as: dating app robbery, bait-and-switch robbery, hate-crime lure

How it works

Criminals use fake profiles to arrange a date at a private home, quiet park or isolated spot. On arrival the victim meets a different person or a group who assaults, kidnaps or robs them, often forcing ATM withdrawals or bank transfers, and may also take their car or phone. Gay and bisexual men on apps such as Grindr have been deliberately targeted, and UK and US courts have treated such cases as hate crimes.

Who is targetedMen meeting dates privately; LGBTQ+ users, especially those who may be reluctant to report.
How fast it movesHours to days of chatting before an in-person meeting.
Typical routeDating app -> quick push to meet at a private or isolated location -> robbery, forced ATM withdrawals or bank transfers

Red flags

  • They push to meet at a private address, a park at night, or an isolated spot for a first date
  • They refuse to meet in a busy public place
  • Their profile is new with few photos, or they won't video chat before meeting
  • They ask about your wealth or net worth before meeting

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.

2025-01-13 · Birmingham, England · Thousands of pounds
Five men were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to between 12 years and 17 years 3 months for conspiracy to commit robbery after using a dating app to lure and rob victims; the CPS prosecuted it as a hate crime motivated by sexual orientation.
2026-05-08 · Slidell, Louisiana, USA
Slidell police arrested two people accused of using a dating app to target men in a series of armed robberies, kidnappings and extortion attempts; charges include hate crimes and carjacking. Police believe there are more unreported victims.
2026-07-09 · South Florida, USA
FBI Miami warned of a rise in robberies of dating-app users lured to 'private meetings', including a case where a suspect brandished a firearm and forced an ATM withdrawal.

The numbers

  • Milwaukee police issued a safety alert over a 'surge' of bait-and-switch robberies linked to Grindr over the previous two months. (2026) source

If it is happening to you

  1. Meet first in a busy public place, tell a friend where you are going and share your location.
  2. Arrange your own transport and stay sober enough to leave.
  3. Do not share your net worth, home address or other personal details before meeting (FBI Miami).
  4. If attacked or robbed, call 911/999/000 and report to police; LGBTQ+ victims can report hate crimes and seek specialist support.

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

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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.

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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'.

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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.