US Report Details Dating App Scam Extent, Citing Outdated Tinder Security Systems

Congressional Investigation Findings

Senators Maggie Hassan and Marsha Blackburn launched an investigation into romance scams on dating platforms owned by Match Group. The investigation's report, published this week, details the prevalence and impact of these scams. Romance scams are a leading form of financial fraud in the US, costing Americans at least $1.3 billion annually.

Match Group Platform Vulnerabilities

Internal documents from Match Group, which operates apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Plenty of Fish, were part of the investigation. These documents showed that as of the second half of 2025, Tinder had not updated most of its machine learning models for years. This lack of updates resulted in less reliable scam detection and difficulty keeping pace with new threats.

Scale of Scammer Activity

Data provided by Match Group revealed that through the third quarter of 2025 in the US, nearly 1.5 million scammers or other malicious actors on Tinder and Hinge matched with at least one user. Approximately 500,000 of these accounts exchanged contact information with another user, indicating a significant level of interaction with potential victims.

Victim Experience

One victim, Mary, shared her experience of losing almost $100,000 to a scammer she met on Plenty of Fish. She described constant contact, pressure, and repeated requests for money for work-related and medical emergencies. Her account highlights the manipulative tactics used by scammers and the financial devastation they cause.