For Family and Friends
Something feels wrong. What do I do without making things worse?
Start with the facts. Protect your relationship with the person you care about. You will usually get farther by asking good questions than by calling them foolish or telling them what they “have to” do.
confidence/romance complaints reported to the FBI IC3 in 2024.
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2024 Annual Report.in reported losses in the FBI confidence/romance category in 2024.
These are reported losses, not an estimate of every loss that occurred.of people who reported losing money to a romance scam in 2025 said it started on social media.
FTC Data Spotlight published in 2026.of people who had used online dating told Pew they had encountered someone they thought was trying to scam them.
Pew Research Center, 2023.Sources: FBI IC3, FTC, and Pew Research Center.
What deserves immediate attention?
- They have never met in person and money is being requested.
- Meetings are planned and cancelled again and again for emergencies or work problems.
- The person wants gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, payment apps, or access to a bank account.
- The relationship moved very fast and major commitments are being pushed quickly.
- Your loved one is being told to keep the relationship, money, or investment secret.
- The story changes when specific questions are asked.
- The person says they can make money through a special investment or crypto opportunity.
- Your loved one is receiving money and being asked to move it somewhere else.
Do not make the first conversation about proving them wrong.
If you begin with “you are being scammed,” the person may spend the rest of the conversation defending the relationship instead of looking at the evidence. Pick one or two specific facts. Ask about those.
If money has already been sent
Act quickly. The FTC advises contacting the bank, card company, wire service, payment app, gift card company, or cryptocurrency platform used for the payment and asking whether the transaction can be reversed or recovered. Report suspected fraud to the FTC and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.