Online relationships that turn into requests for money or crypto coaching
Federal Trade CommissionNationwide
On February 14, 2025, the FTC described a common romance scam for people using dating apps or social media. Someone you have not met wants to leave the app quickly, talks or chats many times a day, and always has a reason they cannot meet, often work or military service far away. Later they ask for money for a plane ticket, an emergency, or medical care. Some shift into an offer to help you invest in cryptocurrency or the stock market.
The FTC's rule is direct: do not send money or gifts to a love interest you have not met in person. The profile, the job story, and the photos are worth checking before the relationship becomes a payment.
Red flags
- A match wants to move the conversation off the dating app or social network almost immediately.
- They cannot meet in person and give a distant job or military posting as the reason.
- They ask for money for travel, a medical emergency, or another crisis.
- They offer to coach you into cryptocurrency or stock investments.
How to protect yourself
- Do not send money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to someone you have not met in person.
- Tell a friend or family member about the relationship if they are worried. The FTC treats that conversation as a useful check.
- Search the person's claimed job plus the word scammer and see whether the story matches posts from other people.
- Run a reverse image search on the profile photo and see whether it is tied to a different name.
If you are hit
- Stop sending money and tell the dating app or social network where you met.
- Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov If cryptocurrency or another online payment was involved, also file at ic3.gov
- Ask the company you used to send the money whether anything can be reversed. The FTC's guide is at consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed
Questions
Is Online relationships that turn into requests for money or crypto coaching a scam?
On February 14, 2025, the FTC described a common romance scam for people using dating apps or social media. Someone you have not met wants to leave the app quickly, talks or chats many times a day, and always has a reason they cannot meet, often work or military service far away. Later they ask for money for a plane ticket, an emergency, or medical care. Some shift into an offer to help you invest in cryptocurrency or the stock market. This page summarizes a public warning from Federal Trade Commission dated February 14, 2025. The linked source is the record.
What should I do if I fell for it?
Stop sending money and tell the dating app or social network where you met. Report it at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov. If cryptocurrency or another online payment was involved, also file at https://www.ic3.gov. Ask the company you used to send the money whether anything can be reversed. The FTC's guide is at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed.
Sources
- Looking for love? Watch out for scammersFTC Consumer Advice
This summary is informational and not legal advice. If it and the linked source disagree, follow the source.
More from Consumer Shield Daily
This alert is one page on Consumer Shield Daily. The main site publishes the wider consumer brief.
More consumer protection news