About Romance Scams

What is a romance scam?

A romance scam is when a criminal creates a fake identity on a dating app or social network to win someone's affection and trust — then exploits that bond to steal money. They are patient, rehearsed, and emotionally manipulative. Victims are not foolish; these scams are designed by organised criminal groups to fool careful, intelligent people.

The fake persona almost always relies on stolen photos. That's the single weak point you can test for yourself — which is exactly what this site helps you do.

What is "pig butchering"?

"Pig butchering" (from the Chinese term shā zhū pán) is a brutal name for a fast-growing type of scam. The scammer "fattens up" the victim with weeks or months of attention, affection, and friendship before the "slaughter" — draining their savings.

Instead of asking for money directly, the scammer introduces a fake investment — usually cryptocurrency. They show fake profits on a convincing-looking app or website and encourage the victim to invest more and more. When the victim tries to withdraw, the money is gone, along with the scammer.

These operations are industrial in scale. Many are run from compounds in Southeast Asia, often staffed by trafficked workers who are themselves victims.

Warning signs

• ❤️ Lightning-fast love. They call you their soulmate within days.
• 📹 Never on camera. Endless excuses to avoid live video calls or meeting in person.
• 🌍 Conveniently far away. Working overseas, deployed in the military, on an oil rig, or a doctor abroad.
• 💸 Money enters the picture. An emergency, travel costs, customs fees, medical bills — or a "great" crypto opportunity.
• 📲 Move off the app fast. They quickly push to WhatsApp, Telegram, or text.
• 📸 Too-perfect photos. Model-quality pictures, or images that don't quite match their story.
• 📈 Investment talk. They casually mention how well they're doing in crypto and offer to help you.

How to protect yourself

1. Reverse image search their photos — start on the home page.
2. Insist on a live video call early. Scammers will keep dodging it.
3. Never send money or crypto to someone you haven't met in person — no exceptions, no matter the story.
4. Be sceptical of any investment advice from an online-only romantic interest.
5. Talk to someone you trust. Scammers isolate victims; an outside view breaks the spell.
6. Slow down. Urgency is the scammer's tool. A genuine partner will respect your pace.

If you think you've been scammed

You are not alone, and it is not your fault. Stop all contact and all payments immediately, and report it:

• USA: FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov
• UK: Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk
• Australia: Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au
• Elsewhere: contact your local police and your bank straight away.

Reporting helps investigators and warns others — even if your own funds can't be recovered.

About this site

DateScamCheck.com is a free, ad-supported awareness tool. We don't store your photos or searches, and we never ask you to register. Our goal is simple: give a worried person a fast, honest way to check a profile photo at the moment they need it.

The site was created because reverse image search — one of the most effective ways to expose a stolen photo — is something many people don't know about or find fiddly to use. By wrapping it in a simple verdict and a plain-English explanation, we hope to put a useful safety check in the hands of anyone who needs it, at no cost.

This site provides general information and is not legal, financial, or investigative advice. A result here is never proof on its own — trust your instincts and combine it with the warning signs above. Please read our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for the full details of how the service works.

Contact us

We welcome questions, feedback, and corrections. You can reach us at [email protected]. Please note that we cannot investigate individual profiles or recover lost funds — for that, contact the official reporting bodies listed above.