DateableHow to report a date to police, and what happens next
Go to a station or call the non-emergency line, bring a support person if you want one, and save what you have. Police can investigate even if they blocked you.
Go to a police station or call the non-emergency line, bring a support person if you want one, and give police what you saved. If you are in danger now, call 000.
Reporting to Dateable is not the same as reporting to police
When you report someone on Dateable, Dateable's team reviews what happened and decides whether to remove the profile. That is not a police investigation. Reporting to Dateable and reporting to police are separate, and you can do both.
[Reporting to the app is not the same as reporting to police: dating apps are not investigators.](1) If you have been harassed, assaulted or scammed by someone you met on a dating app, the police can open an investigation independently.
What police can do
Police can ask the dating app for information about the other person, including their account history and IP addresses. They can investigate even if one person has blocked or deleted the other. [There is no time limit to report a sexual offence or assault in Victoria.](1)
The police investigation depends on what happened. If you were scammed, they are investigating fraud. If you were assaulted, they are investigating an assault. Each kind of crime has its own process, but the first step is the same: go to a station or call.
Where to start
Call the non-emergency police line if you are not in danger now. It is faster than walking into a station at a random time, because the officer can tell you what to bring and which station to visit.
In Australia, the non-emergency number varies by state:
- Victoria: 131 444
- New South Wales: 131 444
- Queensland: 131 444
- South Australia: 131 444
- Western Australia: 131 444
- Tasmania: 131 444
- Northern Territory: 131 444
- Australian Capital Territory: 131 444
If you are in danger now, call 000.
What to bring
Bring screenshots of messages, timestamps, profile information and any evidence of what happened. Police need to see the conversation or the proof of the scam. Save it before your date, not after: once someone is reported and their profile is deleted, the evidence disappears.
If you can, bring a support person: a friend, family member or counsellor who knows what happened. They sit with you during the report and can help you remember details. This is optional, but many people find it helps.
What police will ask
The police officer will ask for a detailed account: what day did you meet, where did you go, what happened, what did they say or do. They will ask for all the contact details you have: their profile name, any phone number or email, their real name if you know it. They will ask whether you were injured, whether you gave them money, what the nature of the assault or fraud was.
They will ask whether you have told anyone else, whether you have evidence, and whether you are safe now. Be honest: if you are unsure about details, say so. If you do not remember the exact words, describe what you do remember.
What happens after you report
A police officer will take a statement and open a case file. You will be given a reference number. [Police generally respond appropriately, but some groups had negative experiences that affected whether they would report again.](2) If your experience with the officer is poor, you can ask to speak to someone else or make a complaint later.
The police investigation happens separately from the outcome. It may take weeks or months. You might be contacted again if police need more information. You might not hear from them again. Either way, your report is recorded, and [police can request information from dating apps, and can investigate even if one person has blocked or deleted the other.](1)
When people report
[People were more likely to report online sexual harassment from someone met on a dating app to police than in-person sexual violence.](2) That is because the evidence is there in the app: the messages, the profile, the timestamps. When someone has harassed you online, you have something to show.
If you are in a state of shock or shame, reporting can feel impossible. That is normal. You do not have to report right away. You can report days or weeks later, or not at all: it is your choice. But if you want to, the door is open, and the evidence does not age.
If you are not ready to report to police
Report the profile to Dateable. Tell someone you trust. Call a counselling line. Read the guide on what happens when something goes wrong. All of those are steps you can take right now.
I am not ready to go to police yet. Can I report this to you first and get the profile removed? What happens after?
This is what many people ask Dateable. Yes, report the profile. Dateable will remove it. That does not stop you from reporting to police later.
Sources
- Victoria Police (2025). Dating apps, online platforms, and sexual offences.
- Lawler, S. M., & Boxall, H. (Australian Institute of Criminology) (2023). Reporting of dating app facilitated sexual violence to the police: Victim-survivor experiences and outcomes.
