How to report a romance scammer to the FBI, the FTC and the apps

In the US, a romance scam can be reported in three places at once: the FBI, the FTC and the platform where you met. Each report does a different job. But the first call should go to your bank, because that is the one step that can still stop money leaving.

This guide covers the order to do things in, what to have ready, and what to expect afterwards. Sources were checked on 4 and 5 Nov 2026.

Before you start: save the evidence

Scammers delete accounts quickly. Before you block anyone or close a chat, capture what you can. The FBI’s IC3 asks for this information in its public service announcements:

• Who contacted you: names used, usernames, profile links, phone numbers and email addresses.
• How you talked: which apps and websites, and how the first contact happened.
• Every payment: date, amount, method, account numbers, the receiving bank’s name and address, and any cryptocurrency wallet addresses and transaction IDs.
• What was said: how they asked for money, what reasons they gave, how they told you to pay, and what personal information you shared.

Take screenshots of the profile and chat, including the parts where money was discussed. Keep gift card receipts and the cards themselves. The IC3 complaint form notes that law enforcement may later want documents, and that originals should be kept for them.

Step 1: Call your bank or payment provider

Do this first, and do it today if you can.

1. Call the number on the back of your card, or use your bank’s app. Say you were tricked into paying a scammer.
2. Ask for the payment to be reversed or recalled. For wire transfers, the IC3 advises asking for a recall and any “hold harmless” or indemnification paperwork your bank uses.
3. If you paid by gift card, call the card issuer using the number on the back of the card. If you paid by wire service, payment app or crypto exchange, contact that company directly.

The FTC’s What To Do if You Were Scammed page lists the right contact for each payment type, including the US Postal Inspection Service (1-877-876-2455) if you mailed cash.

Speed matters. The IC3 says in its 2025 Internet Crime Report that when a fraudulent transfer is found, “time is of the essence.” Its Recovery Asset Team worked on 3,900 incidents in 2025 and helped freeze $679,013,183, a success rate of 58%. That process works best when banks and the IC3 hear about a transfer quickly.

Step 2: File a complaint with the FBI’s IC3

The Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov is the FBI’s central intake for online fraud, romance scams included. The IC3 says to file “regardless of the amount lost.”

How to file:

1. Go to ic3.gov and select File a Complaint. Read and accept the terms.
2. Say whether you were the person affected, or are filing for someone else.
3. Fill in the sections the form asks for: your details, the financial transactions, information about the person who scammed you, and a description of what happened.
4. In the transactions section, add each payment separately with its date, amount and transaction ID or hash. For payment apps, the form asks for an email address or phone number as the account identifier where possible.
5. In the description, tell the story in order: how you met, when they first mentioned money, and every request.
6. Do not enter your Social Security number or date of birth. The form says not to.
7. Save or print your confirmation.

If you’re 60 or over and want help filing, the IC3’s Elder Fraud page lists the Elder Fraud Hotline: (833) FRAUD-11, or (833) 372-8311, Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm ET.

What happens next. The IC3 says complaints are analysed and may be referred to federal, state, local or international agencies. It cannot respond to every submission, and the terms you accept state that you will not be contacted by the IC3 itself. If investigators need more, they contact you through a local FBI field office or another law enforcement agency.

Step 3: Report to the FTC

Next, file at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The site is available in more than a dozen languages.

The FTC is clear about what this report does. Its site says reports are shared with over 2,000 law enforcers, and that the FTC “can’t resolve your individual report.” It uses reports to spot patterns and build cases. After you file, the site gives you next steps based on what happened.

If the scammer got your Social Security number or other personal details, also go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.

Step 4: Report the profile to the app or platform

This gets the account reviewed and can protect the next person. Report from inside the app where possible, because it attaches the profile or chat automatically.

• Tinder: use the report option on the profile or in the chat. Tinder’s safety tips list requests for money and fraudulent profiles as reportable. You can still report someone after unmatching.
• Hinge: tap the three dots on the profile, then Report. Hinge’s reporting guide says reports are confidential, and extra screenshots can be sent through its support form or to hello@hinge.co.
• Facebook and Messenger: report the profile or message. Facebook’s help page on avoiding scams advises not responding and reporting it.
• WhatsApp: open the chat, then More, then Block, and leave Report to WhatsApp ticked. The steps are in WhatsApp’s block and report guide.
• Telegram: press and hold (iOS) or tap (Android) a message and choose Report. Telegram’s FAQ also lists abuse@telegram.org.

Take your screenshots before you block. On some apps, blocking or unmatching removes the chat from view.

Step 5: Local police and your state

A police report can help with bank disputes and insurance. Call your local department’s non-emergency line and ask for a report number. Your state attorney general’s office also takes fraud complaints.

If you’re in immediate danger, call 911.

Reporting from the UK

England, Wales and Northern Ireland now use Report Fraud, which replaced Action Fraud. Report online or call 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, the service directs people to Police Scotland on 101. Contact your bank first here too.

Watch for the second scam

After a report, some victims are contacted by someone claiming they can get the money back for a fee. The IC3 says it does not work with law firms, crypto services or any non-law-enforcement company to recover funds, and will never contact you directly asking for information or money. Its April 2025 warning describes scammers posing as an IC3 “Chief Director” on Telegram.

The FTC’s guide to refund and recovery scams says legitimate agencies don’t charge to help, don’t ask for account numbers, and don’t promise you’ll get your money back. The IC3 counted 10,516 recovery scam complaints in 2025, with $1.4 billion in reported losses.

Red flag: Anyone who finds you after you’ve been scammed and asks for an upfront “fee”, “tax” or “retainer” to release recovered money.

Quick answers

Is it worth reporting a small loss, or an attempt that cost nothing? Yes. The IC3 asks for reports regardless of the amount, and attempted scams still help investigators connect accounts.

Can a family member file for a parent? Yes. The IC3 form asks if the person filing is the one affected; select no and add your own contact details.

Does reporting get the money back? Sometimes, especially when the bank is told quickly. Neither the FBI nor the FTC can promise it.

For the warning signs that tend to come before a money request, see romance scam red flags. If the scam involved an investment app, the explainer on pig butchering scams covers how those platforms work.