Match Group Launches Global Public Awareness Campaign To Warn Daters Of Romance Scams

Users on Tinder, Hinge, Match, Plenty of Fish and Meetic in more than 15 countries will begin seeing warnings and tips on how to protect themselves against online scams

DALLAS, Jan. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Match Group (MTCH), the parent company of Tinder, Match, Hinge and Plenty of Fish, is rolling out a global public awareness campaign to educate daters and consumers on how to date safer and help stay protected against the different forms of online fraud.

Starting today users across Tinder, Hinge, Match, Plenty of Fish, Meetic and OurTime will begin receiving messages alerting them to tips and common behaviors to watch out for to help identify potential scams. These tips were created with the help of law enforcement and financial exploitation experts. They will start to be displayed to users around the world throughout the month of January via an in-app message in the Tinder and Meetic's apps, and notifications to users on Match, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and OurTime.

As these scams have grown in popularity and sophistication over the last few years, brands across Match Group have taken steps to help prevent and warn users of potential scams or fraud, from the introduction of new product features like selfie verification and video chat to sending popup messages with safety tips if certain language is detected in conversations between users.

"As a former detective and special agent, I know firsthand how scammers lure unsuspecting individuals into giving personal information and ultimately money – including preying on those looking for love or companionship," said Buddy Loomis, Senior Director of Law Enforcement Operations and Investigations at Match Group. "It's the reason we are committed to investing in building the safety tools available to users by leveraging technology and resources that aim to help users protect themselves from the harms in the world around them and make safer connections."

According to the Federal Trade Commission, romance scams reported in the U.S. result in higher losses than any other type of scam, with over $300 million USD in reported losses each year since 2020. In 2022, data from the Global Anti-Scam Organization shows that the average reported loss was over $190,000 USD, up from $120,000 in 2021.

"The International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators (IAFCI) is committed to working with public and private sector companies, organizations and agencies to combat online romance scams that target our global citizens," said Mark Solomon, international president of IAFCI. "This devastating crime impacts not only victims financially, but emotionally and physically.  It is only through training, education and awareness that we can prevent these types of crimes from occurring. The IAFCI is proud to collaborate with Match Group to help educate its users around the world."

Match Group, along with victim advocates and cyber crime investigators, developed the following tips to help users identify and help prevent and report malicious actors - on dating or any online platform. 

Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH), through its portfolio companies, is a leading provider of digital technologies designed to help people make meaningful connections. Our global portfolio of brands includes Tinder®, Match®, Hinge®, Meetic®, OkCupid®, Pairs™, PlentyOfFish®, OurTime®, Azar®, Hakuna™ Live, and more, each built to increase our users' likelihood of connecting with others. Through our trusted brands, we provide tailored services to meet the varying preferences of our users. Our services are available in over 40 languages to our users all over the world.

The International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators (IAFCI) is a non-profit organization of more than 6,600 public and private sector investigators from around the world who specialize in fraud, financial and cybercrime investigations.  The organization's primary goal is to provide training, education, and networking to its members to prevent, combat, and investigate financially motivated crimes.  The IAFCI is also strongly committed to bringing awareness and  education to our global citizens so they can avoid being victims of these impactful crimes. To learn more about the IAFCI, please visit us at iafci.org.

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SOURCE Match Group