TL;DR: Tinder, Bumble, Hinge and Match all say the same thing: never send money to someone you met on the app. Each names its own red flags, and Match cites $1.14 billion lost to US romance scams in 2024.

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Four of the biggest dating apps publish their own scam guidance. They overlap heavily, but each adds something the others do not, so this guide puts the official advice side by side.

The rule every app repeats

Never send money to someone you met on a dating app. Tinder notes that transfers are nearly impossible to reverse, and Hinge's wording is the widest: "Never send or receive money via a wire transfer, money order, currency exchange, gift card or investment."

Tinder

Tinder's safety pages list matches who ask for money by wire, banking app or phone payment service, describe an emergency, push you to invest, or refuse to meet or video call. It suggests a video call as a screening tool and advises keeping the conversation on the app while you decide.

Bumble

Bumble adds a few flags: rapid escalation of affection, claims of military service or working on an oil rig, and pressure to leave the app. It also covers blackmail, describing image-based extortion, recording extortion and age fraud. Its tools include photo verification, video chat and voice calls, block and report, and proactive fraud detection.

Hinge

Hinge names the stories to expect: crypto or investment advice, and money for visas, customs fees, surgery or plane tickets, along with a refusal to take calls. Its Selfie Verified badge only compares profile photos with the person's face. Safe Message Filters can hide unsafe messages.

Match

Match sorts dating fraud into six types: romance scams, catfishing, crypto investment scams, sextortion, verification-code scams, and gift or customs-fee scams. Its page cites $1.14 billion in US romance scam losses in 2024, with a $2,000 median loss. A match who asks you to read out a code sent to your phone is after your account.

How the FTC describes the pattern

The FTC says romance scammers create fake profiles on dating sites and apps, or make contact through social media. They build trust through frequent communication, sometimes several times a day. They claim to live far away because of work, military service or travel, refuse to meet in person, and eventually ask for money for an urgent need.

How scammers ask you to pay

The FTC lists payment methods that are hard to reverse: wire transfers through Western Union or MoneyGram, gift cards with PIN codes (Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Steam), money transfer apps and cryptocurrency. It says scammers choose these to pressure you into acting immediately. Across all fraud types, the FTC's 2024 data book lists bank transfers ($2.089 billion) and cryptocurrency ($1.417 billion) as the two payment methods with the highest reported losses.

The FTC's core rule is short: "Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven't met in person."

What a verified badge does and does not prove

Photo verification shows that a profile picture matches a real face. It does not prove the person is honest, so keep applying the red-flag list even to verified profiles.

If you paid or are being threatened

Contact your bank or payment provider at once. Report the profile in the app. In the US, report to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov; Match lists a sextortion helpline on 844-878-2274. Do not pay a blackmailer. Read the romance scam recovery guide for the next steps, and the general romance scam red flags for patterns that apply on any platform.

If a scammer already has your email or number from a dating profile, a free digital footprint check shows what is exposed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I ever send money to someone I met on a dating app?

No. Every app's guidance says not to. Tinder notes transfers are nearly impossible to reverse, and Hinge warns against wires, money orders, gift cards and investments.

What red flags do dating apps list?

Money requests, emergencies, investment pitches, refusing to meet or video call, rapid escalation, military or oil-rig claims, and pressure to leave the app.

Does a verified badge mean a match is safe?

No. Hinge's Selfie Verified badge only matches photos to a face, and Bumble's photo verification works the same way.

What scam types does Match list?

Romance, catfishing, crypto investment, sextortion, verification-code, and gift or customs-fee scams.

Where do I report a dating scam?

Report the profile in the app, then ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov in the US. Match lists a sextortion helpline on 844-878-2274.

How do romance scammers ask for money?

The FTC lists wire transfers, gift cards with PIN codes, money transfer apps and cryptocurrency, chosen because they are hard to reverse and let the scammer apply pressure.

What should I do if I already paid a romance scammer?

The FTC advises contacting the company or your bank right away, telling them you paid a scammer and asking for a refund. Then report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the dating app.

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