If you believe someone you’ve met on RSVP may be a scammer, or you’re concerned that you’ve already been scammed, it’s important to take action as soon as possible.
Romance scammers can be convincing and may spend weeks or months building trust before asking for money or personal information.
If something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts. You don’t need to be certain someone is a scammer before reporting suspicious behaviour.
Follow these steps to help protect yourself and other RSVP members.
1. Stop Communicating With the Person
If you suspect someone is attempting to scam you, stop communicating with them immediately.
- Don’t send any more money or financial assistance.
- Don’t share additional personal information.
- Avoid clicking links or downloading files they’ve sent.
- Don’t respond to threats, pressure or requests for further payments.
You can also block the member on RSVP to prevent further contact through the platform.
If possible, keep relevant messages and other evidence before blocking the account.
2. Report the Member to RSVP
Reporting suspicious behaviour helps us investigate potentially fraudulent accounts and protect other members.
You can report a member directly through their RSVP profile using the Report feature.
Our team will review the information and take appropriate action where necessary.
Important: You don’t need to investigate the person yourself. If you have concerns, report the profile and let our team review it.
3. Contact Your Bank or Payment Provider
If you’ve sent money or shared financial information, contact your bank or payment provider immediately.
Explain that you may have been targeted by a scam and ask whether the payment can be stopped or recovered.
Depending on the circumstances, your bank may be able to help secure your accounts or investigate the transaction.
If you used a money transfer service, cryptocurrency platform or another payment provider, contact that service directly as well.
The sooner you report a suspicious transaction, the better the chance of preventing further losses.
4. Secure Your Personal Information and Accounts
If you’ve shared personal information, passwords or identification documents, take steps to protect yourself.
You should:
- Change any passwords that may have been compromised.
- Enable two-factor authentication where available.
- Review your banking, email and social media accounts for suspicious activity.
- Contact your bank if you’ve shared account or credit card details.
- Seek identity protection advice if you’ve shared copies of identification documents.
If you’ve shared your RSVP password, change it immediately and avoid using the same password across multiple accounts.
5. Report the Scam to Scamwatch
You can report suspected scams to the Australian Government’s National Anti-Scam Centre through Scamwatch.
Reporting helps authorities understand scam activity, identify emerging trends and warn others about potential risks.
You can also find advice about protecting yourself and responding to scams on the Scamwatch website.
6. Contact the Police if Necessary
If you’ve lost money, received threats or experienced blackmail, consider reporting the incident to your state or territory police.
Provide any relevant information you have, such as messages, payment records and contact details used by the suspected scammer.
If someone is threatening to share intimate images or videos, you can also seek assistance from Australia’s eSafety Commissioner.
If you’re in immediate danger, call 000.
7. Watch Out for Recovery Scams
Unfortunately, scammers sometimes contact victims again, pretending they can help recover lost money.
They may claim to be:
- Lawyers or legal representatives.
- Police officers or government officials.
- Financial investigators.
- Bank representatives.
- Companies specialising in recovering stolen funds.
They may tell you they’ve located the scammer or recovered your money but require an upfront payment to release it.
Never pay someone who unexpectedly contacts you promising to recover money lost through a scam.
Be especially cautious of anyone requesting additional payments, banking details or identification documents.
Remember: You’re Not Alone
Romance scams can affect anyone, and scammers often use sophisticated tactics to build trust and manipulate emotions.
If you’ve been targeted, you may feel upset, embarrassed or disappointed. These reactions are understandable, and support is available.
Consider speaking with someone you trust or seeking professional support if the experience has affected your wellbeing.
The most important steps are to stop communicating, protect your money and personal information, and report the suspicious activity.
Reporting concerns early can help protect both you and other members of the RSVP community.