Online romance scams netted con artists over $1.1 billion in 2023, with an average reported loss of around $2,000 per target. These victims who span age, gender, and demographics often aren’t only out of money—their time, emotions, and sometimes even physical safety can be on the line. And while the CEO of the largest online dating company, Match Group, sympathizes, he contends that sometimes life just gives you lemons, apparently. “Look, I mean, things happen in life.
Some of these con campaigns can span multiple years, and drain victims’ entire bank accounts and savings. At least one death has even been potentially tied to such situations. Regulators and law enforcement agencies have attempted to hold companies like Match Group accountable as romance scam reports continue to skyrocket—an industry fueled in part thanks to the proliferation of tech-savvy approaches involving chatbots and other AI-based programs.