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Friends and romance fraud

Meeting new people online is common, but unfortunately, fraudsters often create fake profiles to build relationships. Once they’ve gained your trust, they’ll start asking for money.

If you've been tricked by a fraudster into sending them money, please get in touch with us by tapping Help on the bottom right of the app, search for "Reporting a scam", tap the help article and then "Report Fraud" and complete the steps in the form.

The scammer's playbook

  • Moving fast They might profess their love or talk about a future together within days of meeting.

  • The off-app move: They’ll quickly ask to move the conversation from a dating site or social media to WhatsApp or Telegram. This is to avoid the security filters built into dating apps.

  • Saying they can’t meet yet: They’ll always have a reason why they can't meet in person or over video call. Usually they’ll claim they’re working abroad, in the military, or dealing with a sudden emergency.

  • The urgent request: Once you’re emotionally invested, a crisis will happen. They might need money for life-saving surgery, a flight to visit you, or to release a high-value gift they’ve sent you.

Red flags to watch for 🚩

  1. Untraceable payments: They’ll ask for money via international bank transfer, crypto, or apps like Remitly. These are like handing over cash: it’s very hard to get back.

  2. Fake photos: Scammers often steal photos from models or influencers. You can check if a photo is used elsewhere by using a reverse image search like Google Images. AI images are now more common and harder to notice, if a fraudster has used these they will not be used elsewhere.

  3. Gift fees: If they claim to have sent you a gift but say you need to pay delivery fees, customs fees or taxes to a private account, it’s a scam.

How to protect your heart (and your money)

  • Take it slow: Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person, no matter how long you’ve been talking.

  • Talk to someone you trust: Scammers want to isolate you. Tell a friend or family member about your new connection. They might spot a red flag that you’ve missed.

  • Stay on the platform: Keep your conversations on the dating app for as long as possible; it’s much safer than private messaging.

For more advice on how to keep yourself safe from fraud, head to monzo.com/fraud.

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