DateableHow the fake "verification fee" scam works
A match requests a verification fee to confirm you are real. The fee and any ID you send go to the scammer, not Dateable.
A match says they cannot move forward until you verify you are real, then sends a link or names a price for the verification. €20. $50. A gift card code. The fee goes to the scammer, and so does any ID you upload. Dateable's verification is a live selfie taken inside the app and reviewed by Dateable. No member can verify you, and no member can ask you to pay for it.
Why verification matters on a dating site
Verification shows that the person in your photos is a real person. On a dating site built for clear expectations, that matters. A member who is verified has taken a selfie inside the app and passed a human review. They are not a photo borrowed from the internet or a bot.
When you see a Verified badge on someone's profile, it means they proved they match their photos. Nothing more. Verification does not check someone's income, age or identity. It does not check their background, credit history or whether they own what they say they own. It does not check whether they are telling the truth about being available for what you want.
So a badge tells you the photos are theirs. It does not prove good intentions, which is why the rules below still apply to verified members.
How the fake verification fee scam works
A scammer matches with you, builds a bit of rapport, then says they need to "verify" you before anything goes further. They cannot move to a real date, they say, until you have been verified by the platform. It sounds official. It sounds like something Dateable requires. It sounds professional. The scammer might mention verifying your age, checking you are not a bot, or making sure you are not already in a relationship.
Then they send you a link, or name a price: €20, $50, £30, a gift card code, or a bank transfer. Pay this fee, they say, and you will be verified. The link might look official. It might have a domain that sounds real. It might be styled to match Dateable's own pages.
The fee goes to the scammer, not to Dateable. If you upload your ID, passport or banking details, the scammer keeps those too, and a stolen ID can be used to open accounts in your name.
I need to verify you before we can move forward. Click this link and pay £30 to unlock your profile. After that we can plan a real date.
The red flags
WA ScamNet describes scammers posing as sugar parents who ask for a small payment first, framed as "proof of loyalty", fees or other costs, then disappear 1. A "verification fee" is the same trick with a new name.
Any of these are warning signs, whether a member you met on Dateable says them or you hear them elsewhere:
- A request for a payment before you have met in person
- A request for your banking details, home address or phone number
- A request for intimate photos
- A request for your ID document or passport
- Pressure to move the conversation off Dateable to email, WhatsApp or a private message
Requests for money, ID documents and intimate photos, and pressure to move to private messaging, are all listed scam warning signs 2. Decline each one.
How Dateable's verification really works
Dateable's verification happens in your profile's verification tab. The app picks a pose at random, you take a live selfie holding it, and a reviewer compares it with your profile photos. Your profile then shows a "Verified" badge with the month.
It never starts from a link a member sends, it never involves a member, and it does not ask for an ID document or banking details. Anyone asking for those in the name of verification is not asking on behalf of Dateable.
What to do if a match asks for a verification fee
Do not pay. Do not click the link. Do not upload your ID or banking details. Reply once, if you like, and point to your badge:
I'm already verified here: you can see the badge on my profile. I don't pay for anything outside the app.
Then report and block the profile. Reports go to Dateable's review queue.
If you have already sent money, contact your bank straight away. It may not recover the money, but it can block access to compromised accounts 1.
If you have already sent your ID or passport, IDCARE (1800 595 160) helps Australians with identity recovery 2. Elsewhere, contact your national identity or scam service.
How to get verified properly
Being verified gives you more options on Dateable. You can message, post to the Board and apply for invitations. Get verified by taking a live selfie inside the app when you are ready.
Sources
- WA ScamNet (Government of Western Australia, Consumer Protection) (2026). Sugar baby scam.
- Scamwatch (ACCC) (2026). Relationship scams.
