Not sure they’re real? Check before you send money.
It’s not foolish to fall for someone kind and attentive. Romance scammers are skilled, patient and organised. Take our free 2-minute red-flag check, or get an AI-powered check of your match (reverse image search, public scam databases and pattern analysis, delivered as a clear written report) for a one-off US$29.
reported lost to confidence/romance fraud in 23,159 complaints to the FBI in 2025, up from US$672M in 2024.
Source: FBI IC3 Internet Crime Report 2025reported lost to romance scams in 64,003 FTC reports in 2023, with a US$2,000 median loss, the highest of any imposter scam.
Source: FTC, “Love Stinks” (Consumer Sentinel 2023)reported lost by Australians to romance scams in 2024, the 2nd-costliest scam type.
Source: National Anti-Scam Centre, Targeting Scams 2024lost to romance fraud in the UK in 2024/25 across 9,449 reports, an average of £11,222 per victim.
Source: City of London Police / Action Fraud (NFIB)Reported losses only; most romance fraud is never reported.
Free red-flag self-check
10 yes/no questions. Runs entirely in your browser: nothing is sent to us.
- Did they contact you first, out of the blue, or move very fast to “I love you” or talk of a future together?
- Have they avoided or kept cancelling live video calls, or does the camera “not work”?
- Have they asked for money, gift cards, crypto, or for you to receive or forward money for them?
- Have they brought up an investment, trading app or crypto “opportunity” they want to help you with?
- Do they say they are overseas: military deployment, oil rig, ship, doctor abroad or a foreign work contract?
- Has there been an emergency: medical bills, customs fees, a frozen account, legal trouble or a stranded trip?
- Did they ask you to move off the dating app to WhatsApp, Telegram, Google Chat or similar quickly?
- Are their photos unusually polished, like a model or stock image, or does their story have inconsistencies?
- Have they asked you to keep the relationship secret, or discouraged you from talking to family or friends?
- Have plans to meet in person fallen through more than once at the last minute?
0/10 answered
AI-powered checks of your match, delivered as a clear written report
Pay securely with Stripe, then send us what you have about them. We aim to reply within 2 business days (a target, not a guarantee).
What you get
- Reverse image searches on the profile photos you link, looking for the same photos under other names, stock or model sites
- Checks of the names, phone numbers, emails and usernames you give us against public scam reports, warning lists and search results
- A review of the profiles and story you share against common romance-scam patterns (fast love, no video, overseas job, emergencies, money or investment requests)
- A written, plain-English risk assessment (low / medium / high) explaining what we found and why
- Practical next steps: safe questions to ask, how to verify on a video call, and where to report if needed
What this isn’t
- Not a background check, credit, criminal-record or identity verification service
- Not a licensed private investigator: we don’t trace addresses, contact the person, or access private accounts
- We only use publicly available information and what you send us
- We can’t recover money that has been sent, and can’t say with certainty that someone is or isn’t a scammer
Privacy note
The quiz runs in your browser and sends nothing. Intake details are sent only when you press “Send details”, stored privately, used only to carry out your check, never sold or shared, and deleted after your check is complete (or on request). We never contact the person you’re asking about.
If you’ve already sent money
- 1. Contact your bank, card issuer or payment app now. Ask them to stop or recall the payment. Speed matters.
- 2. Stop sending money, including “fees” to release funds, taxes, or payments to people offering to recover your money.
- 3. Keep the evidence: screenshots of profiles, chats, transaction receipts and wallet addresses.
- 4. Report it to the platform where you met and to the official agency below. You are not to blame, and reporting helps protect others.
The FTC’s advice: never send money, crypto or gift cards to anyone you haven’t met in person. FTC
Free guides
How to tell if a call is a scam
Bank and tax-office impersonation, “Hi Mum” texts and one-ring missed calls: how to spot a scam call and where to report it.
Read guideRomance scam warning signs
The red flags that show up again and again in romance scams, from love-bombing and no video calls to money and crypto requests.
Read guideHow to reverse image search a dating profile
Step-by-step: use Google Lens, Bing Visual Search and TinEye to check whether a match’s photos are stolen.
Read guideMilitary romance scams
Scammers pose as deployed soldiers and ask for money for leave, flights or communications. Here’s how the scam works and how to check.
Read guideCrypto romance scams (pig butchering)
How online “friends” and matches lure people into fake crypto trading platforms, and what to do if you’ve invested.
Read guideQuestions
Will the person know I checked them?
No. We only look at public information and never contact the person you’re asking about.
How long does it take?
We aim to send your written assessment within 2 business days of receiving your payment and details. This is a target, not a guarantee; complex cases can take longer and we’ll tell you if so.
What if you can’t find anything?
A clean result doesn’t prove someone is genuine: careful scammers use photos that aren’t easily found. We’ll explain what we checked and what it does and doesn’t tell you, plus the safest ways to verify for yourself.
Is this a background check?
No. It’s a scam-risk assessment based on publicly available information and what you share. We don’t provide background checks, criminal records or private investigator services.
Can you get my money back?
No, and be wary of anyone who promises that: “recovery” offers are a common follow-up scam. Contact your bank or payment provider straight away and report to the official agencies listed on this page.
Is it a subscription?
No. It’s a one-off US$29 payment through Stripe’s secure checkout. ImposterWatch Personal (US$9/month) includes 1 romance scam check per month.
Who runs ImposterWatch?
ImposterWatch is an online service operated by Cloud Investments FZE, United Arab Emirates.
Something feels off? Trust that feeling.
Free check in 2 minutes. AI-powered written check for US$29.
Start the free check