DateableHow to keep evidence of a dating scam before you block
Screenshot the profile, messages and receipts before blocking, so police and your bank can investigate the scam.
Screenshot the profile, every message and every request for money or gifts before you block or delete. These screenshots let police investigate, let your bank recover money, and let the platform act against a fake account.
What to capture in your screenshots
When you spot a scam, take screenshots of all of these before you block. The more evidence you have, the faster police can act and the better your chances of recovering money.
- The profile: their username, photos, and the name they use on Dateable
- Their usernames on other apps or sites if they mention them
- Every message they sent you, including dates and times
- Every request for money, gifts, payment methods or personal information
- Any receipts, transfer confirmations or payment requests they sent you
- Bank account numbers, email addresses, phone numbers or wallet addresses they ask you to send money to
- Screenshots showing when they made the request and what they said it was for
If they asked you to install another app or move to WhatsApp or Telegram, screenshot those conversations too. A scammer often builds trust on one platform before moving to private messaging where they feel safer asking for money. The timeline matters: police want to see the build-up, not just the final ask.
Store them away from your phone
A screenshot on your phone can be lost if you delete the app, switch phones or if your device is stolen. Send your screenshots to yourself in an email, upload them to cloud storage, or print them. This way you have a copy that exists outside your phone, and you can still access them if you decide to report.
Screenshot first, block second
Some dating apps hide old messages when you block someone. If you block first and screenshot after, you might not be able to see the earlier parts of the conversation or the profile details. Open the chat one more time, take screenshots of everything in order, and then block them. Once they are blocked, their profile may disappear from your view.
Reporting to police does not need the app
You might think that once you delete the app or your account, police will not be able to see what the scammer did. That is not how it works. [Reporting to the platform is not the same as reporting to police. Dating apps are not investigators, but police can request information from the app, and they can investigate even if one person has blocked or deleted the other.] 1 When you report to police, have your screenshots ready. You will give them to the police, not the app.
If the scammer asked you to send money, also tell your bank straight away. A bank can reverse a transfer or stop a payment in some cases, especially if you report it quickly. Do not wait to see if police will investigate first: call your bank immediately.
What to do with your evidence
Once you have screenshots, you have three steps.
- Report the profile to Dateable. [You can report and block from any profile, message or listing.] Press report, give a reason (scam, fake profile, or whatever fits), and Dateable will review it. Your screenshots help the platform make a faster decision.
- [If something goes wrong on Dateable or any dating app, report to your local police.] They can investigate and may be able to stop the scammer from targeting other people. In Australia, there is no time limit to report.
- Contact your bank if money moved. Tell them the account numbers, amounts and dates. Ask them to reverse the transfer or cancel the payment if they can.
Keep your screenshots even after you report. Police might ask you for more details weeks or months later.
How to spot a scam before it starts
If someone you just matched with asks to move to a private chat like WhatsApp or Telegram within the first few messages, that is a red flag. Scammers do this to get away from Dateable's detection. A legitimate member will be happy to message on Dateable for as long as it takes. If they tell stories about working on an oil rig or overseas and can not video call, ask for a call anyway. If they make excuses, stop replying. Do not wait for a second excuse.
Another red flag: they ask for personal details or money before you have ever met or video called. Anyone genuine will want to meet or connect on video first to make sure the two of you match. A scammer skips that step because they are not who they say they are.
I'd like to video call before we meet. If that doesn't work for you, I should probably move on.
Anyone worth meeting will understand. A scammer will make excuses or disappear.
What happens to the scammer after you report
Dateable reviews every report. A fake profile gets removed. An account that scams people gets banned. But the scammer might come back with a new profile and new photos. This is why keeping your screenshots matters: if the same person targets you again or someone else reports them, your evidence helps build the case.
Take your time with anyone new. Ask questions. Trust the pace of the conversation. If something feels off, it is. A genuine member will respect that you are being careful, because anyone on Dateable is thinking about their own safety too.
Sources
- Victoria Police (2025). Dating apps, online platforms, and sexual offences.
