Help & reporting
Report a romance scam confidentially
Romance scams are built over weeks or months, which is exactly why they are so effective. Being deceived by a sustained, professional manipulation is not naivety, and reporting early makes a practical difference.
What this kind of scam is
- A relationship develops quickly online, often moving off the original platform to a private messaging app.
- The other person always has a reason not to meet or appear on a live, unplanned video call.
- Money is requested for emergencies, travel, medical costs, customs charges — or through an 'investment opportunity' they introduce.
Common warning signs
- Their profile photos appear elsewhere online, or a reverse image search finds another name.
- The relationship escalates unusually fast, with early declarations of commitment.
- Plans to meet collapse repeatedly at the last moment.
- You are asked to keep the relationship secret from friends or family.
- You are asked to receive or forward money or parcels for them.
- An investment or trading 'tip' is introduced once trust is established.
Steps to consider now
- 1
Stop sending money and stop forwarding funds or parcels
Money mule requests can create legal problems for you as well as financial loss.
- 2
Do not confront them before saving evidence
Accounts and chats are often deleted immediately once suspicion is raised.
- 3
Save the chat history, profiles and photos
Export or screenshot conversations, profile pages, usernames and any phone numbers.
- 4
Protect your accounts and privacy
Change passwords, review what personal information they hold, and secure any shared accounts.
- 5
Open a ScamGuide case
You can report in confidence, and choose whether any sanitised summary is published at all.
Evidence worth preserving
- Screenshots of every conversation, including profile names, handles and the dates shown.
- Payment records: bank transfer confirmations, card statements, invoices or receipts.
- Cryptocurrency transaction hashes and the destination wallet addresses.
- The website address, app name and any download links you were sent.
- Emails with full headers where possible, plus any documents or contracts you received.
- A short written timeline of what happened and when, made while it is still fresh.
How ScamGuide works
- 1. You submit a structured report through a guided wizard — no legal or technical knowledge needed.
- 2. A private case is created with a reference number, timeline and secure evidence vault.
- 3. A case specialist reviews the details and communicates with you in an encrypted, private thread.
- 4. You explore the recovery and reporting options that realistically apply to your circumstances.
- 5. A sanitised, moderated summary may be published so other people can search it. You are never named.
Frequently asked questions
Romance scams are run by organised, practised teams. Reporting is a practical step, and your case details are private.
Ready to document what happened?
Reporting is free and takes a few minutes. You can search existing reports first — try a profile name, phone number or app.