Review the request before you act
Check a dating message before you send money
A relationship can feel personal while the other person remains impossible to verify. Repeated distance, emergencies, and payment requests are reasons to pause and bring someone else into the decision.
A warning sign is a reason to pause, not proof by itself. TrustShield cannot guarantee that a message is safe or fraudulent.
Warning signs to slow down for
- Plans to meet or video chat keep falling through.
- An emergency creates a request for gift cards, travel money, or another payment.
- The person recommends a crypto platform or promises reliable returns.
Safer checks you can make
- Do not send money or gift cards to someone you have not met in person.
- Talk through the request with a trusted friend or relative.
- Do not make an investment through a platform introduced in the conversation.
Related scam guides
Compare the message with these fictional examples, then verify the real request through a channel you trust.
Romance scam: online partner asks for gift cards
Someone you met online is always far away and now needs gift cards or money for a flight? The warning signs of romance scams.
"Wrong number" text that turns into a crypto pitch
A friendly wrong-number text that ends up talking about a crypto app with guaranteed profits? How this long con works and how to stop it.