Match Group, the company behind Tinder, Hinge and The League, has partnered with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, to raise awareness about romance scams and online dating fraud in India.
Announced at the second edition of the Trust and Safety Festival in India, the campaign aims to help users recognise suspicious online behaviour, understand common fraud tactics and learn how to report suspected cybercrime through official channels.
The initiative will share safety guidance across Tinder, Hinge and The League, with content developed in collaboration with I4C to address risks faced by users in India.
Five Warning Signs of Romance Scams
Romance scams often begin with fake profiles and apparently genuine conversations. A fraudster may spend weeks or months building trust before introducing a financial request or an investment opportunity.
The campaign highlights five areas where users should exercise caution:
Pressure to move conversations off-platform: A person may quickly encourage communication through another messaging service, reducing the protections and reporting options available on a dating app.
Unverified identity: Inconsistent profile details, suspicious photographs or reluctance to verify identity may warrant caution.
Unsolicited investment advice: Fraudsters may use an online relationship to promote cryptocurrency or other investment schemes.
Requests for money: Claims involving medical emergencies, travel costs, visa fees or urgent repairs can be used to pressure people into transferring funds.
Rapid emotional attachment: Attempts to establish trust quickly, followed by financial demands, can be a warning sign.
A key precaution is to avoid sending money, gift cards or investments to someone known only through online communication. Users should also be wary of anyone who creates urgency, discourages independent checks or insists that a financial opportunity must be kept secret.
Dating Platforms Expand Safety Features
The campaign builds on safety features already introduced across Match Group's dating applications.
According to the supplied report, Tinder offers Face Check and Photo Verification, along with prompts such as “Are You Sure?” and “Does This Bother You?” These features are intended to help users assess potentially inappropriate interactions. Users can also block, report or unmatch other profiles.
Tinder's Share My Date feature allows users to share information about date plans with trusted contacts, giving friends or family a way to know the arrangements.
Hinge has introduced a waitlist for some new users in India, alongside measures such as Face Check, a Block List during onboarding and screenshot protection. These tools are designed to support profile authenticity and give users greater control over their interactions.
Such features can provide additional safeguards, but they cannot guarantee that every profile is genuine or that every interaction is safe. Users still need to assess suspicious behaviour and report concerns.
Earlier Initiatives to Improve Online Dating Safety
Match Group has previously introduced educational initiatives in India to encourage safer online dating.
Tinder's Dating Safety Guide, developed with the Centre for Social Research, is available in regional languages and provides guidance on navigating online relationships more safely.
The company has also introduced School of Swipe, an educational initiative about online dating. Separately, its work with Yuvaa and Pink Legal on the Let's Talk Consent online course focuses on consent and respectful relationships.
The new campaign adds romance-scam awareness and cybercrime reporting guidance to these efforts, with an emphasis on recognising financial manipulation before money is lost.
How to Report Suspected Online Dating Fraud
People who suspect they have encountered cybercrime can report it through India's National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at **https://cybercrime.gov.in**. Victims of financial cyber fraud can also call the national helpline 1930 for assistance.
If a scam is suspected, useful steps include:
Preserve chat histories, profile details, phone numbers and other relevant communications.
Keep transaction receipts, bank references and payment records.
Report the account through the dating platform's official reporting tools.
Contact the bank or payment provider promptly if money has been transferred.
Submit a cybercrime complaint through the official portal and follow the instructions provided by the authorities.
Maintaining accurate records can help when explaining the sequence of events and documenting suspected financial losses. People dealing with complex financial irregularities may also review the scope of financial investigation services for relevant professional support.
What This Means for Online Dating Users
The Match Group–I4C initiative highlights the importance of treating online trust and financial decisions separately. A profile may appear convincing, and a conversation may feel genuine, but neither establishes that a person's identity or intentions have been verified.
Users should be particularly cautious when someone they have met online requests money, proposes an investment, asks for sensitive financial information or pressures them to act quickly. Verification features and platform reporting tools can help, but they are not substitutes for careful judgement.
Ultimately, awareness, early reporting and preserving evidence can help users respond more effectively to suspected scams. The campaign's practical value will depend on whether users recognise the warning signs and know where to seek help when something seems wrong.