Online Dating Scams Put User Trust and Retention at Risk

According to our 2025 Online Dating Survey, trust and safety were of utmost concern to online daters — regardless of age, gender, generation, income or education. When dating platforms fail to protect users, they risk significant customer churn, as scam victims often leave online dating altogether or switch to other providers. The study also found that users are willing to do their part to protect themselves — even if it means reaching for their wallets. 

Survey findings include:

• 22% of women and 26% of men said they’d be willing to pay for their own background checks, boosting potential mates’ confidence in profile legitimacy
• 38% of women and 41% of men expressed a willingness to pay for background checks for both themselves and potential dates
• More than two thirds of daters would be more like to make contact if profiles were verified
• 70% of users were concerned about scams, indicating enhanced demand for trust and safety

Implementing background checks and prominently displaying verification status show platforms’ commitment to addressing user concerns about fraud and scams. The willingness of many users to pay for these checks — for themselves and/or their potential matches — further underscores the value placed on trust and safety in the online dating experience.