DateableWhere to report a dating scam in Australia, UK, US, Canada and NZ
Report to your bank and the authorities in your country, then the dating platform. Here are the numbers by country.
If you have been scammed, report it to your bank first, then to the law enforcement agency for your country, and then to the dating platform itself. Every report helps authorities see the pattern and take down the fraudsters.
Why report at all
Reporting takes time and feels embarrassing, so many people do not do it. But a report is not just for you. When you report a scam, law enforcement sees it is part of a pattern. When thousands of people report the same fraudster from the same country, that data changes how authorities respond. You might get your money back. You will almost certainly stop the person using the same profile to trick someone else.
Scammers count on shame and silence. They count on you not telling anyone. When you report, you take that power away.
Australia
Start with your bank or financial institution first. Call them and tell them you have been scammed. They can sometimes reverse a transfer, stop a payment before it clears, or put a hold on a fraudulent account. The faster you call, the better your chance of getting the money back. Keep your bank reference number 1.
At the same time, report to Scamwatch, the Australian consumer protection service run by the ACCC. You can report online at scamwatch.gov.au or by phone. Scamwatch publishes warnings about common scams so other people know the warning signs 1.
If your identity or personal details were stolen or used as part of the scam, contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160. They are open Monday to Friday, 7am-7pm AEST, or you can call from overseas on +61 7 3555 5900. IDCARE helps people affected by identity theft and cybercrime for free. They can advise you on protecting your credit file and recovering from identity theft 2.
United Kingdom
Report fraud and cyber crime through Report Fraud, the service run by City of London Police. You can report online at reportfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud in December 2025 and is the single place to report fraud and cyber crime in the UK 3.
Your report goes to the police, to the Action Fraud national database, and to your local police force. Keep your report reference number. If the matter becomes urgent or the scammer threatens you, call 999 instead.
United States
Report internet crime to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, at ic3.gov. The IC3 is the official place for Americans to report cyber-enabled crime and fraud 4. Your report helps the FBI track crime patterns and understand where losses are happening. IC3 handles reports from across the United States, and your information goes into a national database that law enforcement agencies can access.
Canada
Report romance scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. You can report online at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or by phone on 1-888-495-8501. The CAFC publishes warnings about common fraud patterns and shares intelligence with law enforcement and financial institutions 5. Scammers often target people in multiple countries from a single operation, so Canadian reports help identify international fraud rings.
New Zealand
Contact Netsafe, New Zealand's online safety organisation, or call Police on 105. Police estimate New Zealanders lose tens of millions of dollars a year to romance scams 6. Netsafe provides advice and support, and police can investigate if a crime has taken place.
Keep every reference number
When you report to your bank, law enforcement or the dating platform, you will be given a reference number. Write it down immediately or save it in a note on your phone. This number helps you track the case and follow up if needed. If police or authorities contact you with questions later, the reference number lets them find your report in their system. If you need to speak with someone or provide additional evidence, the reference number is how you identify your case.
- Bank reference number for the transaction or transfer
- Police or fraud report number from law enforcement
- Dating platform report number from the site
Report to the platform as well
After you report to authorities, report the profile on the dating platform itself. On Dateable, report and block are one press from any profile, message or listing. When you report, Dateable reaches a person. A report to the platform is not the same as a report to police, and the platform is not a law enforcement agency. But it helps the site remove the fraudster and stop them using that profile again.
Include the reference numbers you received from the police or fraud agency when you report to the platform. This tells the site that the account is linked to an official investigation.
I think I have been scammed. The person asked me for money before we met in person. I am reporting them to the police and the dating app.
If something has already gone wrong
If something has already gone wrong in a dating arrangement, the reporting steps are the same. Report to the platform first if you feel unsafe. Then report to your bank if money was involved. Then report to the police. The evidence you keep matters: messages, photos, bank statements, payment records, dates and times. Keep it safe and share it with police when you report.
You are not alone. Thousands of people report relationship scams every year. Your report matters, and if you are dating in Australia, read about sugar dating safely so you can spot warning signs before anything happens.
Sources
- Scamwatch (ACCC) (2026). Relationship scams.
- IDCARE (2026). IDCARE.
- GOV.UK / City of London Police (2025). Report Fraud: new service from City of London Police.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internet Crime Complaint Center (2025). 2024 IC3 Annual Report.
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (2026). Relationship and romance.
- New Zealand Police (2021). Don't let a love scam break your heart.
