Singles Looking for Love in 2022 Vulnerable to Scams, Wells Fargo Survey Finds

While many single adults are embracing online dating and dating apps as a way to meet romantic partners, it’s important to be aware that the same technology that connects us doubles as an ideal environment for predators and scammers. According to a new Wells Fargo survey, over half of all singles (52%) have used a dating app or online dating site, including one in five singles who are age 65 or over (20%). What’s more, of those 52% of singles who’ve used a dating app or online dating site, nearly two out of three (63%) have been contacted by somebody they thought might be a scammer — including 58% of those who are over 65.

Furthermore, of all singles surveyed, one in three (33%) have known somebody who fell for an online romance scam, including 27% of those over 65. Nevertheless, one-quarter of all singles (25%) met or dated somebody online during the pandemic, with a third of all singles (35%) saying the pandemic made them more interested in meeting people online.

Few see themselves as vulnerable to online dating scams

A third of all singles (30%) have close family or friends whom they consider to be vulnerable to romance scams, though a third as many (just 11%) consider themselves vulnerable. When it comes to scams more generally, nearly a third (30%) have had a family member who lost money to a scam, and as many (31%) have been scammed themselves or have given out financial information they later regretted.

Nearly all survey respondents (92%) describe themselves as “guarded” rather than “trusting” when it comes to meeting people online. A large majority of respondents seem aware of the most common scamming ploys and would feel suspicious if a person they met online:

• Asked for new or reloaded gift cards (98% consider this suspicious)
• Avoided video or phone calls (93% consider this suspicious)
• Claimed to be stationed or working temporarily in another country (80% found this suspicious)

“One survey finding that’s concerning is that fewer than one in four (23%) have ever done a reverse image search of an online profile picture to determine if a person is real. For those over 65, only 7% have performed a reverse image search,” said Ron Long, head of Aging Client Services, Office of Consumer Practices at Wells Fargo.