DateableWhat to write in a scam report, with examples
A useful scam report says who contacted you, what they asked for, how you paid, and when. Examples from Scamwatch, the FBI and UK police.
A scam report that authorities can act on tells them four things: who the person is, what they asked for, how you paid them, and when. A thorough report with screenshots and account numbers is far more useful than a vague one, and reporting matters even if you lost nothing or stopped in time.
What a strong report includes
When a scammer builds a relationship with you online and then asks for money, your report helps authorities recognize the pattern and stop them. A strong report answers these questions in order:
- Who are they? Their full name if they gave it, every username they used across platforms, their profile photo, and any identifying details. Take screenshots of all profiles.
- What did they ask for? Be specific. They might have asked for money for a plane ticket, visa fees, medical treatment, a business investment, or a crypto scheme. Quote them if you can.
- How did you pay? The payment method matters: bank transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer. Include account numbers if you have them, or at least the name of the service (PayPal, Western Union).
- When did it happen? Dates of messages, dates of payments, and how long the relationship went on before the ask.
Include screenshots, copies of messages and receipts. If you paid by bank transfer or cryptocurrency, screenshotshot the account details. Save everything.
Keep a copy of the reference number
When you submit a report to any authority (such as Scamwatch, the FBI, or a UK police service), they give you a reference number. Write it down. If you need to follow up, or if police contact you later, that number is how they find your report.
Report even if you did not pay. If a scammer built a relationship with you, asked for money and you recognised it in time, that report still helps. It gives authorities another data point about how the scammer operates and who they target.
Reporting to authorities in your country
Different countries have different services. Where you report depends on where you are and what happened.
In Australia, report to Scamwatch. Scamwatch is run by the ACCC and tracks romance scams alongside other fraud. They accept reports of scammers who ask for money, crypto investment or intimate photos, and they use your reports to warn others and share patterns with police. Scammers who target dating sites often use the same playbook. Your report helps identify that.
In the UK, report to Report Fraud, the service from City of London Police. You can report online at reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040. This replaced the old Action Fraud service in December 2025 1.
In the United States, report to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov 2. The IC3 received hundreds of thousands of complaints in 2024 and passes reports to law enforcement and agencies that investigate fraud 2.
What a report to Scamwatch looks like
Scamwatch accepts reports online. Here is what a thorough report might include:
I met someone on [dating app] in July. Their profile name was Jordan_1987. They said they worked overseas in construction. After two weeks of messages, they asked me for $5000 to cover unexpected costs to get home. They claimed their credit card was frozen. I refused. They then asked for a gift card instead. I did not pay. Their photos: [attach]. Messages where they asked for money: [attach].
Simple. Clear. It says who, what they asked for, what you did, and when. Scamwatch enters this into their system, flags the username if others report it, and shares patterns with the ACCC's National Anti-Scam Centre.
Report to the platform too
Report and block the profile on the dating site or app itself. Most platforms allow you to report from a profile, message or listing with one press. Give them the facts: what they asked for, when, and attach screenshots. Platforms use these reports to remove fake profiles, though they are not investigators. Your report to a regulator like Scamwatch or the FBI carries more weight than your report to the platform.
If something goes wrong, you can still recover
If you sent money, contact your bank straight away. In Australia, call IDCARE (1800 595 160) for identity recovery support. If you sent crypto, recovery is unlikely, but report it anyway: contact your bank, IDCARE and Scamwatch. If you paid with a gift card, contact the gift card issuer and keep the receipt.
Scammers who ask for money often use the same approach 3. They build trust through romance or friendship, they pressure you to move to private messaging, they make excuses to avoid meeting or video calls, and they have a story ready for why they need money 3. Your report of one attempt helps authorities see the bigger picture.
Report even when it feels pointless
You may worry that reporting will not lead anywhere. That may be true for your individual report. The scammer may never face consequences. But your report is one of thousands. Authorities look for patterns: the same username, the same payment method, the same story told to fifty people. Your report is the thread that leads investigators to the network.
Sources
- 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.
- Scamwatch (ACCC) (2026). Relationship scams.
