High riskRomance

Travel Money Romance Scam

In this scam, an online partner promises to finally visit you, then asks for money for flights, a stranded emergency, or a customs or travel fee, but the trip never happens and requests continue.

Quick verdict

Risk level
High risk
Scam type
Romance + advance-fee (travel)
Main red flag
A partner who needs travel money to visit but keeps hitting new costs.
What to do first
Do not send travel money; genuine visits do not rely on your repeated payments.

Understanding this scam

In this scam, an online partner promises to finally visit you, then asks for money for flights, a stranded emergency, or a customs or travel fee, but the trip never happens and requests continue.

Romance scams build a genuine-feeling bond over days or weeks, then introduce a crisis or investment that needs your money. They rely on fast intimacy, an inability to meet in person, and requests that shift to gift cards or cryptocurrency.

If you take one thing from this guide, make it this: A partner who needs travel money to visit but keeps hitting new costs. Do not send travel money; genuine visits do not rely on your repeated payments.

If your message looks slightly different, check the Military Romance Scam or the Marriage Visa Romance Scam, both are close cousins of this pattern. Every related guide lives in the Romance & Dating Scams guides, and the scam checker can scan the text you received.

A typical example

Example pattern, not a real report
Example pattern: 'I'm finally coming to see you, but I'm stuck at the airport and need money for the ticket and a customs fee.'

This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.

The tell here: A partner who needs travel money to visit but keeps hitting new costs.

What the data shows

$1B+
romance scams are among the costliest frauds by total reported losses in the US
Source: US Federal Trade Commission
$1.4B
reported lost to fraud that began on social media in 2023, where many romance scams start
Source: US Federal Trade Commission

Warning signs

  • A long-promised visit that needs your money
  • Stranded-at-the-airport or customs-fee emergencies
  • Escalating travel costs and delays
  • Avoidance of meeting until 'this trip'
  • Pressure and emotional appeals

Your safest response

  • Do not send money for a partner's travel
  • Be aware 'stranded' and 'customs fee' stories are classic scams
  • Verify identity and refuse escalating requests
  • Report the profile and confide in someone you trust

If you have already engaged

  • Stop paying, especially for 'one more' travel cost
  • If you paid, contact your bank or payment provider
  • Keep messages as evidence and report it
  • Seek support from people you trust

What to avoid

  • Do not fund a partner's flights or travel emergencies
  • Do not send gift cards or crypto
  • Do not believe repeated 'almost there' delays

You might also see

High risk Romance

Military Romance Scam

In this scam, a fraudster poses as a deployed soldier on a dating app or social media, builds a romance, then asks for money for leave requests, travel, phones, or emergencies that never resolve.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Romance

Marriage Visa Romance Scam

In this scam, an online partner promises marriage or to relocate to be with you, then asks for money for visas, flights, documents, or fees, often disappearing once payments stop.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Social Media

Romance Scam DM

This scam builds an online romantic relationship through messages, then invents an emergency or investment to ask for money, while always avoiding meeting in person.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team

Questions people ask

Why does the visit never happen?
Each payment is followed by a new travel emergency or fee. The trip is bait; the requests continue as long as you keep paying.
They're 'stranded' and need money urgently. Real?
Stranded-at-the-airport and customs-fee stories are classic romance-scam tactics. Do not send money; verify independently.
I sent travel money. What now?
Stop sending more, contact your bank or payment provider, keep evidence, report the profile, and confide in someone you trust.
How can I tell if a visit is genuine?
A genuine partner does not rely on your repeated payments to travel. Insist on live video and be wary of escalating travel costs.

Last reviewed June 2026 · Written & reviewed by the

Disclaimer: This page provides educational information only to help you recognise common scam patterns. It is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or law enforcement advice, and it does not confirm whether any specific message, company, or person is genuine or fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the official organisation directly and report concerns to your local authorities.