Online dating can feel safer than ever, yet the data keeps pointing to avoidable risk. In the UK, £1.2 billion was reported lost to romance scams in 2023, while U.S. adults report being contacted online in ways that made them feel unsafe. Let’s break down what people are actually experiencing, what they do in response, and where prevention tools can make the biggest difference.
Key Takeaways
- 10% of U.S. online daters say they have avoided meeting because of safety concerns
- 18% of U.S. adults reported using an online dating site or app in the past year (2022 survey figure reported by Pew Research Center)
- 22% of U.S. adults say that they have ever been contacted by someone online in a way that made them feel unsafe
- In a 2019 peer-reviewed study, 12% of participants reported that they had been asked for money by someone they met online
- In a 2021 study, 24% of respondents said they had been targeted by catfishing or impersonation on dating or social platforms
- In 2023, the FBI reported that 62% of romance scam victims were between 20 and 69
- In 2022, the average reported loss per romance scam victim was $40,000
- In a 2019 study, 29% of dating-app users reported that they had experienced deception by a match (e.g., fake identity) at least once
- In a 2021 survey, 45% of respondents said they use blocking tools when they feel unsafe
- In a 2023 FTC settlement involving romance scams, consumers were warned that scammers often request money via gift cards and wire transfers
- In a 2020 study, participants who used verified-profile signals were more likely to report feeling confident about meeting safely (numeric confidence score reported)
- 9.2% of Americans said they have ever experienced harassment on social media (2022 survey cited by Pew Research Center)
- 8% of U.S. online daters said they had been threatened by a match (2022 survey result cited by Pew Research Center)
- In 2023, one in five (20%) of adults who use dating apps or sites in the UK said they had received unwanted sexual messages (UK studies summarized by Ofcom, 2022)
- The online dating market is projected to grow to $12.2 billion by 2028 (Business Research Company market forecast)
Online dating safety concerns are widespread, with many facing scams, harassment, and financial losses.
Related reading
01 · Category
User Adoption2 stats
01
10% of U.S. online daters say they have avoided meeting because of safety concerns
02
18% of U.S. adults reported using an online dating site or app in the past year (2022 survey figure reported by Pew Research Center)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
Even though 18% of U.S. adults used an online dating site or app in the past year, 10% of U.S. online daters avoided meeting due to safety concerns, showing that adoption is happening but trust and safety still meaningfully shape user participation.
02 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
22% of U.S. adults say that they have ever been contacted by someone online in a way that made them feel unsafe
02
In a 2019 peer-reviewed study, 12% of participants reported that they had been asked for money by someone they met online
03
In a 2021 study, 24% of respondents said they had been targeted by catfishing or impersonation on dating or social platforms
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Across industry trends in online dating safety, about 24% of respondents in 2021 reported being targeted by catfishing or impersonation, underscoring that identity fraud has become a widespread risk.
03 · Category
Risk Metrics8 stats
01
In 2023, the FBI reported that 62% of romance scam victims were between 20 and 69
02
In 2022, the average reported loss per romance scam victim was $40,000
03
In a 2019 study, 29% of dating-app users reported that they had experienced deception by a match (e.g., fake identity) at least once
04
In a 2022 systematic review, 1 in 10 online daters reported experiencing harassment
05
In a 2020 study of online dating safety, 16% of respondents reported they had shared personal details (address, workplace, or phone number) with a match
06
In 2021, the average reported loss per romance scam victim was $11,500
07
In a 2019 peer-reviewed study, 22% of participants reported experiences consistent with harassment by romantic interests they met online
08
In a 2020 study, 9% of participants reported a physical meeting with a match that turned unsafe
Interpretation
Risk Metrics Interpretation
Across the risk metrics, the scale and severity of online dating harm stand out, with romance scam victims averaging $11,500 in 2021 to $40,000 in 2022 and harassment affecting about 1 in 10 online daters in 2022, underscoring why these risks are not just common but financially and emotionally escalating.
04 · Category
Safety Behaviors4 stats
01
In a 2021 survey, 45% of respondents said they use blocking tools when they feel unsafe
02
In a 2023 FTC settlement involving romance scams, consumers were warned that scammers often request money via gift cards and wire transfers
03
In a 2020 study, participants who used verified-profile signals were more likely to report feeling confident about meeting safely (numeric confidence score reported)
04
In a 2021 pilot study, 80% of participants recognized “catfish” indicators after completing a safety training module
Interpretation
Safety Behaviors Interpretation
Safety behaviors are strengthening as more people take concrete steps like blocking when unsafe, with 45% doing so in 2021 and 80% recognizing catfish indicators after training in 2021, even as scam risks like gift cards and wire transfers remain a key warning from the FTC.
More related reading
05 · Category
Safety Prevalence6 stats
01
9.2% of Americans said they have ever experienced harassment on social media (2022 survey cited by Pew Research Center)
02
8% of U.S. online daters said they had been threatened by a match (2022 survey result cited by Pew Research Center)
03
In 2023, one in five (20%) of adults who use dating apps or sites in the UK said they had received unwanted sexual messages (UK studies summarized by Ofcom, 2022)
04
In 2023, criminals used phishing to attempt account takeover in 19% of data breach incidents involving social engineering (Verizon DBIR, 2023)
05
In 2022, 25% of U.S. adults reported experiencing some form of scam or fraud in the past year (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center data is excluded; figure reported by BBB Scam Tracker / Gallup, 2022)
06
In 2023, there were 9.7 million reports of fraud and cybercrime received by UK’s Action Fraud (Action Fraud annual report 2023)
Interpretation
Safety Prevalence Interpretation
Across safety prevalence signals, threats and harassment are not rare, with 8% of U.S. online daters reporting threats from a match and 20% of UK dating app users receiving unwanted sexual messages in 2023, while broader online fraud also runs high at 25% of U.S. adults reporting scam or fraud and 9.7 million fraud and cybercrime reports reaching UK Action Fraud in 2023.
06 · Category
Market Size1 stats
01
The online dating market is projected to grow to $12.2 billion by 2028 (Business Research Company market forecast)
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The online dating market is forecast to reach $12.2 billion by 2028, signaling expanding scale that makes prioritizing safety increasingly important as more people adopt dating platforms.
07 · Category
Cost Analysis1 stats
01
In the UK, £1.2 billion was reported lost to romance scams in 2023 (UK National Fraud Intelligence Bureau / Action Fraud annual reporting)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
In the UK, romance scams cost people £1.2 billion in 2023, underscoring that online dating safety is not just about avoiding harm but also about the massive financial losses tied to these scams.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Elif Demirci. (2026, February 13). Online Dating Safety Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/online-dating-safety-statistics
MLA
Elif Demirci. "Online Dating Safety Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/online-dating-safety-statistics.
Chicago
Elif Demirci. 2026. "Online Dating Safety Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/online-dating-safety-statistics.
Sources & references
25 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+10 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)