Every sugar-dating forum has the same horror story: an offer that looks generous, then a request that reverses who is paying whom. Here’s what members and regulators say to watch for. This article is written for adults 21+.
Anyone who asks you to pay first
Norton’s guide to sugar-dating scams lists urgent financial requests and links to unknown sites as core warning signs, and says to never send money to someone you haven’t vetted (Norton). Grindr’s scam guide describes the same move: a match agrees to meet, then asks for a gift card, a fee or a signup first, and never shows (Grindr Help Center).
Gift cards, wires and crypto
The FTC says romance scammers tell you how to pay: wire transfers, gift card PINs, payment apps or cryptocurrency, all chosen because the money is hard to get back (FTC Consumer Advice). In 2023, gift cards were the top reported payment method in romance scams (FTC Data Spotlight).
Excuses for never meeting
The FTC flags stories about being overseas, on an oil rig or stuck abroad as reasons to doubt (FTC Business Blog). The FTC reported 64,003 romance scam reports in 2023 and 1.14 billion dollars in reported losses, the highest of any imposter scam.
Run a reverse image search
If a profile photo shows up under another name, walk away. The FTC recommends this check, and also warns against sending private photos, which scammers can use for extortion.
Tell someone
People with honest intentions don’t mind you telling a friend about them. Someone who insists on secrecy is a red flag.
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If it already happened
Contact your bank or the gift card company right away, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and report the profile to the platform.
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