Key facts
- Romance scams cost Americans at least $1.3 billion annually.
- As of the second half of 2025, Tinder had not updated most of its machine learning models in years.
- Nearly 1.5 million scammers or bad actors on Tinder and Hinge matched with at least one other user through Q3 2025 in the US.
- Nearly 500,000 of those accounts exchanged contact information with another user.
- One victim, 'Mary', lost nearly $100,000 to a romance scammer on Plenty of Fish.
- Match Group has introduced facial verification on Tinder and a new AI model to detect scammers.
A US Senate investigation has revealed the extensive reach of romance scams on popular dating platforms, with millions of fraudulent accounts actively engaging with users. The report, published Tuesday, details how dating app companies, particularly those owned by Match Group, have been slow to update their security measures, allowing scammers to proliferate and leading to significant financial and emotional distress for victims.
One victim, identified only as Mary, shared her experience of losing nearly $100,000 to a scammer she met on Plenty of Fish in 2024. She described the constant pressure and repeated requests for money, likening the experience to being "in a vortex." Mary eventually realized the extent of the fraud after sending cryptocurrency payments, and later discovered other profiles using the same photos as her scammer.
The investigation, led by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), found that as of the second half of 2025, Tinder had not updated most of its machine learning models in years, hindering its ability to detect scammers. Data provided by Match Group indicated that through the third quarter of 2025 in the US, nearly 1.5 million scammers or bad actors had matched with at least one other user on Tinder and Hinge, with about 500,000 of those accounts exchanging contact information.
In response to the investigation, Match Group has implemented new safety features, including facial verification on Tinder and a new AI model designed to detect harmful accounts. However, the report notes that these changes came after a prolonged period during which scams continued to spread on the platform.
Yoel Roth, Match Group's senior vice-president of trust and safety, stated that the company is grateful the committee recognized their advancements but believes the report mischaracterizes their investment and work. He asserted that Match Group has made significant safety advancements and intends to continue leading the industry in user protection tools.