Scam type
Romance Scams
Romance fraud is a long con. The person behind the profile invests weeks or months in daily conversation, shared plans, and apparent affection before money is ever mentioned. By the time a request arrives — an emergency, a visa problem, or a 'can't-miss' crypto investment they will teach you to use — the relationship feels real, because everything except the person's identity was.
If this has happened to you, please know that shame keeps many victims silent, and silence only helps the fraudsters. You were targeted by someone who manipulates people for a living, and reporting it is a reasonable, responsible step. ChargeBack can help you organise what happened into a clear case file, trace where payments went, and identify the dispute and complaint channels that may apply — while your bank, the police, and, where you need it, an emotional-support or counselling service handle the parts only they can.
The pattern
How this scam typically works
The approach
Contact begins on a dating app, social network, or even a 'wrong number' text that turns into friendly conversation. The profile is attractive and plausible — often a professional working abroad, on an oil rig, or in the military, which conveniently explains why meeting in person is difficult.
The relationship phase
For weeks or months there are daily messages, calls, pet names, and talk of a future together. No money is requested. The fraudster mirrors your interests and often moves the conversation off the dating platform onto a private messaging app, away from moderation.
The money requests
A crisis appears: a medical emergency, customs fees, a frozen bank account, a plane ticket to finally visit. Alternatively the partner reveals a 'profitable' crypto or forex platform and offers to guide you — the pattern often called pig butchering, where romance blends into investment fraud and deposits grow steadily larger.
The escalation and exit
Each payment leads to another obstacle that only more money can solve. When you refuse, hesitate, or run out of funds, the tone turns to guilt, pressure, or sudden coldness — and eventually the person disappears, sometimes followed by strangers offering to 'recover' your losses for a fee.
Warning signs
- The person avoids video calls and in-person meetings, always with a plausible excuse
- The relationship moves quickly to declarations of love and plans for a shared future
- Conversation is steered off the dating platform onto a private messaging app early on
- Money is requested for emergencies, travel, fees, or customs charges you must keep secret
- A partner introduces a trading or crypto platform and coaches you through depositing
- You are discouraged from telling family or friends, or told they 'wouldn't understand'
What to do right now
- Stop sending money and pause contact with the person — you do not owe them an explanation, and continued conversation gives them more chances to manipulate you.
- Contact your bank or card issuer straight away, explain that you believe you have been defrauded, and ask what recall or dispute options apply to each payment.
- Report the matter to your local police or national fraud-reporting service and keep the reference number; report the profile to the dating platform too.
- Preserve everything before blocking: chat histories, profile pages, photos, payment receipts, and any wallet addresses or platform links you were given.
- Be kind to yourself and consider talking to someone you trust or a victim-support or counselling service — the emotional impact of this fraud is real, and support exists for it.
Evidence worth collecting
- Bank and card statements showing each transfer or purchase
- Full chat histories from the dating platform and messaging apps, exported or screenshotted
- The profile pages, usernames, photos, and phone numbers the person used
- Receipts for gift cards, crypto purchases, or money-transfer services
- Wallet addresses, exchange accounts, or platform links you were asked to pay into
- Any documents they sent — IDs, tickets, invoices, or 'official' letters
- Police, platform, or bank reference numbers you already have
How ChargeBack can help
- Listen without judgement and reconstruct a clear timeline of the relationship and each payment
- Organise your messages, receipts, and records into a coherent, shareable case file
- Analyse where your payments went, including on-chain tracing when crypto was involved
- Identify which dispute, recall, or complaint channels may apply to each individual payment
- Prepare a written case summary you can hand to your bank, the police, or a lawyer
We assess and document; banks, payment providers, and authorities decide outcomes. No recovery can be guaranteed by anyone.
Possible channels
Dispute and reporting channels that may apply
Which channels are realistic depends on how you paid, where the money went, and how quickly the incident was reported.
Card chargeback
If any payments were made by credit or debit card — including card purchases of crypto or gift cards — your issuer may be able to raise a dispute under card-scheme rules. Time limits apply, so contact them promptly.
Bank transfer recall
For bank transfers, your bank can ask the receiving bank to return the funds. Outcomes depend on how quickly the money moved on, which is why reporting early matters more than having every detail ready.
Police and fraud-reporting services
A police or national fraud-office report creates the official record that banks and other bodies rely on, and romance-fraud reports are frequently linked to wider organised-crime investigations.
Platform and exchange reports
Reporting the profile to the dating platform and any crypto exchange involved helps those services act on the accounts and preserves records that may support your case.
FAQ
Common questions
Start here
Start with a free, confidential consultation.
Tell us what happened. We will review the information and explain whether our services are relevant — and, if you choose to proceed, exactly what any investigation would involve and cost.