Let’s be honest, folks. Falling for a romance scam just hits differently than clicking a fake FedEx link.
A new survey commissioned by NordProtect finds that 53 percent of Americans believe it is harder to admit falling victim to a romance scam than other types of fraud. Only 16 percent disagree. That gap says a lot. People are not just losing money. They are losing face.
The survey, conducted between January 14 and 24, 2026, polled 2,078 U.S. adults ages 18 to 65. What it reveals is uncomfortable but important.
Even victims who reported the scam still carry the stigma. Among those who lost money and took action, 54 percent believe victims generally do not want to talk about romance scams. Reporting the crime does not magically erase the embarrassment.
And yes, the money is quite real. Fifteen percent of respondents said they lost money to a romance scam. The average reported loss lands between $2,001 and $4,000. Thirty percent lost up to $1,000. Nineteen percent lost between $1,001 and $2,000. That is not pocket change. For many people, that is a financial setback that takes months to recover from.
What surprised me most is the gender split. Nineteen percent of men reported losing money to romance scammers, compared to 11 percent of women. That is not a small difference. It suggests men are either being targeted more aggressively, or they are more willing to send money when emotions get involved.
The targeting data adds more context. Sixty five percent of people who have tried dating apps said they noticed fraudulent profiles. Seventy one percent of men saw fake accounts, compared to 55 percent of women. Among men ages 35 to 44, that number jumps to 75 percent.
Think about that. Three out of four men in that age group who used dating platforms noticed fake profiles. That is not a fringe issue. It is baked into the experience.
Where are people meeting these scammers? Real life still leads, with 51 percent saying they prefer meeting partners offline. But digital platforms are deeply embedded now. Thirty seven percent use social media to find relationships. Thirty percent use dating platforms.
Gen Z stands out. Only 46 percent rely mainly on in person meetings, while 45 percent prefer social media. Millennials lead in dating app use, with 37 percent using those platforms to search for a partner.
Where the users go, scammers follow. When it comes to reporting, most victims do tell someone. Twenty seven percent reported to their bank or credit card issuer. Twenty six percent told family or friends. Twenty one percent contacted local police.
Fewer go to federal authorities. Just 9 percent reported to the Federal Trade Commission. Sixteen percent reported to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
There is also a reporting gap based on how much was lost. People who lost more than $2,000 were more likely to report not just to financial institutions but also to cyber insurance providers. Those who lost smaller amounts, up to $2,000, were more likely to underreport.
That part fascinates me. It is almost as if there is a psychological threshold. Lose a few hundred dollars and you feel foolish but move on. Lose several thousand and suddenly it becomes undeniable.
The broader takeaway is not that people are naive. Romance scams are engineered to exploit loneliness, hope, and trust. They are slow burns, not smash and grab thefts. By the time money changes hands, the emotional hook is already set.
The shame factor is doing scammers a favor. As long as victims stay quiet, the same fake photos, recycled scripts, and urgent emergencies will keep circulating.
If anything, this survey suggests we should normalize talking about these scams. Not because it is comfortable, but because silence is clearly not helping.
