Staying safe when you date through Just Singles

Romance scams are patient, warm and well rehearsed, and they borrow the details of your life. If your family is spread across countries, a story about a relative abroad or a visa will sound normal to you. That's exactly why scammers use it.

What Just Singles checks, and what it doesn't

Every photo is reviewed; what members write about themselves (age, job, faith, where they live) is not checked. Identity is checked only when a member buys the optional photo ID badge, or after a VPN sign-up or a flag on their account. Profiles are shared with partner sites in the same network, so you may talk to people who joined elsewhere.

A badge is a good sign, not a guarantee. Judge people by how they behave; how it works explains the checks.

Which scams target people with family abroad?

A romance scam is when someone builds a relationship online in order to take money from you. The stories the FTC and FBI describe most often are the ones that sound ordinary to people with roots in two places:

• The visa or ticket fee. They want to visit, or move, but need you to cover a visa, a flight or a "processing fee". Visa fees go to a government through its official channels, never by gift card or a transfer to a private person. In the US, USCIS has its own scams and fraud page.

• The family emergency. A parent in hospital back home, a sibling detained, school fees due tomorrow. The FTC lists emergency surgery and "fees to get out of trouble" among the stories scammers use.

• The investment tip. After weeks of warm chat they mention a trading platform or crypto that has done well for them and offer to help you start. The FTC flags this pattern directly.

• The job that keeps them away. Oil rig, military posting, aid work: always far away, never able to meet.

• The odd payment method. Gift cards with the PIN sent by photo, wire transfers, money apps, crypto. No real partner needs to be paid that way.

• The money transfer. They ask you to receive money and pass it on. The FBI warns that romance scam victims are used as "money mules" to move stolen funds, which can get you into legal trouble even if you were deceived.

The FBI adds two signs: someone who keeps promising to meet but always has an excuse, and someone who nudges you away from friends and family. The FTC's rule is simple: don't send money or gifts to anyone you haven't met in person. Our guide to romance scams that target diaspora communities goes further.

Simple checks before you get attached

These take minutes and catch many fake profiles early.

• Ask for a live video call. A real person can manage five minutes.
• Reverse-search their photos. The FTC suggests a reverse image search to see if the pictures appear under other names.
• Keep chatting on the site for a while. Pressure to move quickly to WhatsApp, Telegram or email is a known warning sign.
• Tell someone you trust. A cousin or friend reading the messages with fresh eyes catches things you won't.

First dates

Meet somewhere public and busy, get there and home under your own steam, and tell a friend where you'll be. If faith or food rules matter to either of you, choose the place together; our guide to planning a date around halal, kosher, vegetarian or alcohol-free choices has ideas. You can leave at any point, and you don't owe anyone a second date or an explanation.

What to do if you've already sent money

Act quickly and in this order; speed matters more than having every detail.

1. Stop paying. Don't send anything more, even if they promise it will unlock a refund.
2. Call your bank or payment provider. In the UK, dial 159 to reach most banks safely. In the US, call the number on the back of your card or the payment company's official line.
3. Report it to Report Fraud, Police Scotland or the FTC and FBI (see the tables below).
4. Report the profile through the members help centre with their username, and keep screenshots of messages and payments.

If you've been scammed, it isn't because you were foolish. These schemes are run by people who do this all day.

Pressure to marry

Choosing a partner, and when, is yours to decide. GOV.UK says forced marriage is illegal in England and Wales, and that it includes emotional pressure such as being made to feel you're bringing shame on your family. The government's Forced Marriage Unit gives free, confidential advice on 020 7008 0151 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm; 020 7008 5000 out of hours; +44 20 7008 0151 from abroad), including if you think you are about to be taken overseas. In an emergency, call 999.

Where to report

Inside Just Singles. Report the member through the help centre with their username and what happened; our contact page explains what to include.

United Kingdom

United States

Who runs the site is on the about page.