This year, millions of people will turn to social media and dating apps to find connections. Unfortunately, so will fraudsters. These aren’t just one-off attacks — thanks to generative AI, deepfakes, and chatbots trained on intimate conversations, today’s romance scams are fully industrialized.
And think it’s just Gen Z and millennials falling prey? Think again.
According to a new report by AARP, nearly 1 in 10 Americans age 50 has experienced an online romantic approach that ultimately led to a request for money or encouragement to invest in cryptocurrency. Adults aged 50 to 64 are hit twice as often as older seniors, likely in part because they tend to be more active and engaged online, increasing their exposure to potential scammers.
Among adults 50 and older, 1 in 6 report that they or someone they know has lost money to a romance scam.Despite these numbers, over half of victims never report the crime, largely due to shame, stigma, or disbelief. And that lack of reporting allows these scams to thrive unchecked, often on the very platforms designed to foster human connection.
What Can Platforms Do?
Modern romance scams are deeply personal, emotionally charged, and disturbingly scalable. The FBI warns that scammers now build fake romantic relationships using sophisticated fake profiles, then convince victims to send money or cryptocurrency under false pretenses. Requests often stem from fake emergencies, overseas investment schemes, or elaborate stories of misfortune.
While user education is vital, placing the full burden on individuals is no longer enough. As these scams become more sophisticated, platforms must take more responsibility to prevent, detect, and disrupt abuse, especially during high-risk seasons like Valentine’s Day.
Implement Identity Verification with Biometric Assurance
While some social media platforms and dating apps are making headway on adopting more stringent identity verification checks, many platforms often lack strong verification controls. Requiring a government-issued ID and a matching selfie at account creation can reduce fake profile creation and help ensure users are who they say they are. This also helps platforms enforce age restrictions to better protect minors.
Adopt Real-Time Risk Detection
Modern fraud prevention depends on adaptive trust models. Platforms should deploy AI to monitor behavioral patterns, device anomalies, and other metadata signals in real time. These systems can flag suspicious activity before it escalates, such as someone using multiple identities or messaging dozens of users in parallel.
Strengthen Reporting and Support Pathways
Even when users identify fraud, they often don’t know where to turn. The AARP found that only 26% of victims who report do so to law enforcement, and just 23% notify their bank. Platforms must simplify and promote reporting mechanisms, connect users to support resources, and share incident data to prevent repeat abuse.
Protecting People at Scale
Scam artists are ruthless, and they’ll target anyone. The tools available to scammers, from voice cloning to AI-generated fake websites, are making it easier than ever to build trust quickly and exploit emotional vulnerability.
But platforms can shift the balance. By embracing identity verification, continuous risk intelligence, and responsible user education, dating and social media platforms can reduce fraud and build deeper trust with their communities.
