Romance scam numbers sound firm because they come as dollars and counts. But a complaint database records reports, not every incident. The FTC itself says the vast majority of frauds are not reported to the government, so reported figures likely capture only a fraction of older adults harmed by fraud. That caveat comes through a secondary summary of the FTC and DOJ older-adult report on 2025 findings.
A complaint total describes what people reported. It cannot count every person who was deceived or every dollar lost.
What the FTC data does show
The FTC's Consumer Sentinel Network collects reports of fraud and other consumer problems. The FTC's annual older-adult report draws on it for 2025 findings, as summarized by Consumer Finance Monitor.
Per that summary, older adults are more likely than younger adults to report losing money to romance scams. The same list includes tech support, sweepstakes, government impersonation and family or friend impersonation scams. Older adults also reported much higher median losses than younger adults. For people 80 and older, the median reported loss was $2,000.
Scams that began on social media produced the largest aggregate reported losses for older adults in 2025. A separate FTC data spotlight says reported losses to social media scams were eight times higher than in 2020. The FTC also said the cost of fraud targeting older adults could have been as high as $119.5 billion in 2025. That is an estimate, not a count of complaints.
What the data leaves out
The excerpts reviewed do not give a romance-specific loss total for 2025. They do not give a count of romance scam reports or a median loss for romance scams alone. They also do not explain how Consumer Sentinel figures are compiled or adjusted for underreporting, beyond the general caveat. Figures for adults under 60 are missing too, so comparisons across age groups are limited.
Some people may stay silent out of embarrassment. That is a common assumption about fraud reporting, and these sources do not measure it. Treat the idea that reported losses are a "floor" as shorthand, not a measured minimum.
Three questions help when you read any figure:
- Was the loss reported to a government agency? If not, it may not be counted.
- Does the figure reflect how contact began (social media, phone, dating app) or only the category?
- Is it a median, an aggregate, or a headline total? These measure different things.
How romance scams turn into investment fraud
Many costly cases are not only about romance. Pig-butchering, also called romance baiting, is online relationship and investment fraud. The scammer builds a fake romantic or social bond, then persuades the victim to invest, often in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. This description comes from a Wikipedia entry, so check it against official guidance.
Contact can start with an unsolicited message, a fake dating profile, or a stranger who shows romantic interest. Once trust is set, the scammer may point to a fake trading site or app that shows early gains. Those gains make the scheme look real. Later, the victim may be asked to pay fees or gifts before withdrawing money, or told that withdrawal is difficult.
The DOJ says many of these scams cross borders, so it works with foreign law enforcement to disrupt them at the source. In the period from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, it reported almost 350 enforcement actions involving fraud that targeted or disproportionately affected older adults. Those cases charged 712 defendants with allegedly stealing $4,841,305,931 from 711,353 victims, according to the same summary.
Red flags and where to report
Watch for these signs:
- An investment pitch that starts with an online romantic or social relationship.
- Early returns on a trading platform, then pressure to invest more quickly.
- Returns that look too good to be true, or vague and inconsistent investment details.
- Fees or gifts required before you can withdraw funds.
- Requests for personal information.
- Efforts to take up all your attention and separate you from family and friends.
Isolation is a common tactic, so keep talking with people you trust. Before sending money, tell one of them exactly what you were asked to do. If a new partner will not video chat but keeps steering talk toward money, stop and verify.
To report a suspected scam, use the FTC's reporting page at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The excerpts reviewed do not cover how to recover money, and a report does not guarantee a response or a refund. Still, reports are what the database counts. If you were targeted, even without losing money, a report adds to the record.
Please seek a professional. This article is general information, not financial, tax or insurance advice. Please seek a licensed financial, tax or insurance professional about your own situation.
