The Dating App Match Who Was Actually a Cybercriminal (Part 1)
July 29, 2026
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By Jackson Godwin. Cybersecurity Analyst & Penetration Tester.
The Dating App Match Who Was Actually a Cybercriminal
Disclaimer:This story is fictional but inspired by real romance scams reported around the world. It is written to educate readers about online dating fraud, social engineering and protecting personal information.
I Wasn’t Looking for Trouble
A friend convinced me to try a popular dating app.
“You never know,” he said. “You might actually meet someone special.”
I wasn’t expecting much.
I created a profile, uploaded a few photos and started browsing.
Most conversations didn’t last very long.
Then I matched with someone who immediately stood out.
The Profile Looked Perfect
The profile showed someone who appeared:
Friendly.
Educated.
Successful.
Funny.
The photos looked natural.
The conversations felt genuine.
Nothing seemed rushed.
Unlike many other profiles, this person didn’t immediately ask for my phone number.
Instead, we chatted on the app for several days.
That made me trust them even more.
We Seemed to Have Everything in Common
Every conversation felt easy.
We talked about:
Work.
Family.
Travel.
Music.
Future plans.
It almost felt too perfect.
Whenever I mentioned a hobby, they claimed to enjoy it too.
Whenever I described a life goal, they shared the same dream.
I thought I had simply met someone compatible.
Looking back, I realised they were carefully building trust.
Then We Moved to Another Messaging App
After about a week, they suggested moving the conversation.
“I don’t check this dating app very often.”
That sounded reasonable.
We continued chatting on another messaging platform.
The conversations became longer.
Good morning messages.
Good night messages.
Photos.
Voice notes.
Everything seemed completely normal.
There Was Just One Strange Thing
Although we talked every day, something kept happening.
Whenever I suggested a video call, there was always an excuse.
“My camera isn’t working.”
“I’m travelling.”
“The internet connection is terrible.”
“I’m in an important meeting.”
The excuses always sounded believable.
At the time, I didn’t think much about it.
They Earned My Trust
Weeks passed.
The conversations became personal.
They remembered small details I had shared.
They asked thoughtful questions.
They seemed genuinely interested in my life.
Eventually, I stopped thinking of them as a stranger from the internet.
I started thinking of them as someone I knew.
That was exactly what the scammer wanted.
Then the Emergency Happened
One evening, the tone of the conversation suddenly changed.
They sounded worried.
They claimed they had encountered an unexpected emergency while travelling for work.
According to them:
Their bank account had been temporarily restricted.
They couldn’t access their money.
They needed help for just a few days.
Then came the question I wasn’t expecting.
“Could you lend me some money? I’ll repay you as soon as everything is sorted.”
My heart wanted to help.
But my cybersecurity instincts told me to slow down.
Something Finally Felt Wrong
For the first time, I looked back at everything that had happened.
Weeks of perfect conversations.
No successful video call.
A sudden financial emergency.
A request for money.
Individually, each event seemed reasonable.
Together, they formed a pattern I could no longer ignore.
(Continue in Part 2, where I’ll explain how the romance scam unfolded, reveal the warning signs I almost ignored, and show how one simple verification exposed the cybercriminal behind the fake dating profile.)
