Boomers Lose the Most as Romance Fraud Rises Across the U.S.

As dating app activity climbs during the colder months, new data suggests the risks associated with online romance are rising just as quickly. According to an analysis of federal fraud records, nearly 59,000 Americans reported falling victim to romance scams in 2024, with losses reaching an estimated $697.3 million. The findings, compiled by brokerage research firm BrokerChooser, come amid a sharp increase in online searches for “am I being catfished,” which spiked 110% over the past month.

The report identifies where in the country these scams are hitting hardest, who is most financially affected, and how patterns are shifting heading into 2025.

Arizona again ranks as the nation’s top catfishing hotspot, holding the unwanted title for a second consecutive year. Romance scam reports in the state reached 159 per million residents in the first half of 2025 – up from 133 per million the year prior. Associated losses rose to $33.5 million, marking a 15% year-over-year increase. Search activity around catfishing also remains unusually high in Arizona, with more than 1,100 queries per 100,000 people annually. Earlier this year, the state made headlines after a Phoenix man involved in a multimillion-dollar romance scheme received a 17-month federal sentence.

Alaska follows closely behind. The state logged 121 reports per million residents, and while total losses remain far smaller than Arizona’s, the average Alaskan victim loses more money per case – about $17,334. Losses in Alaska reached roughly $1.54 million in the first half of 2025, a modest increase over the previous year.

Wyoming rounds out the top three. Despite total reported losses dropping from $1.37 million to $746,000 year-over-year, the number of cases rose enough to push the state higher in the rankings. The report highlights a consistent pattern: even when financial losses fall, case counts may still grow, suggesting scammers are widening their reach but extracting smaller amounts per victim.

In a similar report from Comparitech, an estimated 59,000 Americans were targeted in 2024. This led to a total of around $700 million lost, similar to 2023, with many of the same strategies and schemes working just as well in 2025.

Across age groups, older Americans remain the most financially vulnerable. Individuals aged 60 to 79 accounted for roughly $174.5 million in losses – more than half of all money reported lost to romance scams. This demographic also experienced the highest rate of reported incidents, followed closely by adults in their twenties.

The rise in reports comes as dating platforms experiment with new verification tools and AI-driven safety features, though analysts note that these protections vary significantly between services. For now, the data shows that romance fraud remains a persistent – and geographically uneven – threat as online matchmaking continues to evolve.