Senate report finds dating app scams reached millions of Match Group users

The Big Picture

Romance scams on major dating platforms are drawing new scrutiny after a congressional investigation found that large numbers of suspected scammers and other bad actors were able to reach users of Tinder and Hinge.

The investigation by Sens. Maggie Hassan, a New Hampshire Democrat, and Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, examined platforms owned by Match Group, whose portfolio includes Tinder, Hinge, Plenty of Fish and Match. Its report, published Tuesday, said Match Group data showed nearly 1.5 million scammer or other bad-actor accounts on Tinder and Hinge had matched with at least one user through the third quarter of 2025. Nearly 500,000 of those accounts exchanged contact information with another user.

The findings arrive as reported financial losses from romance scams remain substantial. The Federal Trade Commission said Americans reported nearly $1.5 billion in romance-scam losses last year, according to NBC News.

What Happened

The Joint Economic Committee inquiry began in September 2025 and ran for about a year. The report said internal documents voluntarily shared with the committee showed that, as of the second half of 2025, Tinder had not updated most of its machine-learning scam-detection models in years.

That left the platform less reliable at detecting scammers and other bad actors and made it harder to respond to emerging threats, the report said. NBC News also reported that committee materials described scammers as able to circumvent a patchwork of detection rules, while false positives burdened human moderators.

Match Group has introduced and expanded anti-scam tools during the investigation, including new detection models, automated rules and steps meant to remove harmful accounts more effectively. NBC News reported that the company deployed new detection models in the latter half of 2025 and the first half of 2026, and introduced 169 automated rules while improving 108 others.

The company has also implemented face-verification measures for new users. The Guardian reported that Tinder required new U.S. users to complete a video selfie verification process. NBC News reported that mandatory biometric face checks apply to new users of both Tinder and Hinge.

Why It Matters

The statistics illustrate how quickly fraudulent accounts can move from an initial match to a more vulnerable stage of contact outside the app. Romance scams often rely on sustained communication, fabricated emergencies and pressure to send money.

Sue Nuss, a Pennsylvania resident who spoke to Congress and NBC News, said she turned to Tinder seeking companionship after her husband died. The congressional report said a man she met through the app used fabricated crises, including oil-rig job problems, an arrest in Mexico, his mother's stroke and a funeral, to solicit money.

Nuss ultimately lost more than $700,000, including money taken in a subsequent cryptocurrency recovery scam, according to the report. She told NBC News that loneliness and shame made her experience particularly difficult.

Another victim, Mary, who asked that her last name be withheld, told The Guardian that she lost about $100,000 in cryptocurrency after meeting a man on Plenty of Fish in 2024. She said he repeatedly contacted her, cited work-related and medical needs, and continued reaching out from new phone numbers after she blocked him.

What Each Side Is Saying

Hassan said romance scams can be financially and emotionally devastating, particularly as criminal networks use artificial intelligence to make fraud more convincing. She said dating apps and other companies must keep their defenses current and act proactively to stop scammers from reaching consumers.

Yoel Roth, Match Group's senior vice president of trust and safety, said the company was grateful the committee recognized its safety advancements. But he said the report mischaracterized the historical scale of Match Group's investment and work already completed. Match Group also said much of its safety work, including Face Check, was under way before the investigation began.

What Happens Next

Congress passed the Romance Scam Prevention Act last month, NBC News reported. The measure would require online dating services to notify and warn users who receive messages from potential scammers, and it was awaiting President Donald Trump's signature.

Hassan and Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, also introduced legislation in June to create a central portal through which Americans could report scams and seek help from law enforcement and government agencies. Hassan said a centralized system could help authorities identify patterns and disrupt scams more effectively.