Love Networks: how scammers speculate on the subject of marriage agencies
Fraudsters may use various schemes on the subject of marriage agencies in the run—up to the spring of 2026, experts have warned about this. According to experts, this topic is becoming particularly attractive to scammers, since the approach of the spring months is traditionally associated with romance, renewal and the search for a couple. For details on what schemes to expect from scammers on the subject of marriage agencies in the run-up to next spring, what are the dangers of their tricks and how to protect yourself from them, read the Izvestia article
Why is the subject of marriage agencies interesting to scammers
The topic of marriage agencies on the eve of spring is becoming particularly attractive for scammers, since this time is traditionally associated with romance, renewal and finding a couple, says the CEO of Secure-T (Solar Group) in an interview with Izvestia Khariton Nikishkin.
"Loneliness combined with the seasonal factor creates a favorable environment for intruders — people become more trusting, emotionally open and willing to invest in the opportunity to find happiness," says the expert.
Statistics show that the number of single people is growing, adds Alexandra Shmigirilova, GR director of the Security Code Information security company. The modern pace of life and well-developed infrastructure in the form of home delivery of food, goods and entertainment reduce the chances of casual acquaintances. However, man is a paired being, he needs a loved one nearby, and society still broadcasts the installation that it is "not good" to be alone.
Therefore, the services of marriage agencies remain in demand, and in the spring the demand for them is traditionally growing. Where there is high demand and a lot of people, scammers always appear: for them, this is an opportunity to find a victim more likely, the expert notes.
What schemes on the topic of marriage agencies to expect in 2026
In 2026, cybersecurity experts expect scenarios to appear in which scammers will call their victims, introduce themselves to employees of marriage agencies and offer "selected questionnaires", "premium access" or "access to a closed customer base," says the head of BI.ZONE AntiFraud Alexey Luzhnov.
— At the same time, in many cases, we can talk about paid registration, subscription or making a special contribution — as a result, the victim risks losing funds that will end up in the hands of intruders, — says the interlocutor of Izvestia.
In addition, according to Alexey Luzhnov, fraudulent schemes involving imaginary candidates from abroad are possible. The script begins with a call informing the agency that it has selected a "potential partner from another country." After establishing contact, the fraudster builds a trusting relationship with the victim. Later, a "problem" arises — the need to pay for a visa, tickets, agency services, or customs duty for allegedly sent gifts. At the final stage, the scammers convince the user to transfer funds promptly so as not to disrupt the meeting.
In turn, Yakov Filevsky, an expert on sociotechnical testing at Angara Security, believes that in 2026, more than one new "super scheme" should probably be expected in the area of "marriage agencies", but an increase in already operating multistep scenarios.: first, emotional contact and building trust, then pressure for urgency, then pumping out money or luring access to accounts.
— Scammers will continue to use the fake dating model after online dating, — says the expert. — As part of this scheme, the victim receives a link to a fake ticket service, after which the details are stolen and funds are debited again.
At the same time, according to Yakov Filevsky, there will also be fake dates with inflated bills in establishments that are already actively exploited, and even the recruitment of "performers" under the guise of a light side job on dating sites. At the same time, it is assumed that due to increased anti-fraud checks by banks, fraudsters will more often split up amounts and stretch the theft into several small operations.
Which "marriage" schemes of scammers have been encountered before
Fraudsters have tried to speculate on the topic of marriage agencies before, while their classic schemes in this regard can be divided into several types, Khariton Nikishkin says in an interview with Izvestia. The first type is the creation of fake agencies or the use of real unscrupulous firms that take money but do not provide partner search services or provide them formally, including clauses in the contract about the lack of guarantees of the result.
— The second type is hiring actors who, for a fee, portray wealthy suitors on dates, while the relationship with them obviously does not work out, which encourages clients to continue paying for new meetings, — says the expert.
The third type is receiving an advance payment for "exclusive access" to the VIP groomsmen's database, which in fact turns out to be a fiction. Finally, the fourth type is "romantic fraud" in its purest form, when intruders themselves create profiles of attractive people, enter into correspondence and extort money under various pretexts. As Khariton Nikishkin notes, in some cases, victims of such schemes lost millions of rubles — for example, in 2023, a resident of Moscow gave about 12 million rubles to marriage scammers in an attempt to find a husband.
"People at risk of such schemes are people who are looking for relationships, including older people, for whom the agency format may seem more reliable than online dating," says Alexey Luzhnov. — In addition, similar schemes are used by users who have not previously encountered similar scenarios.
At the same time, the "marriage" schemes of fraudsters carry not only financial risks, adds Sergey Polunin, head of the IT infrastructure solutions protection group at Gazinformservice. Potential victims also face psychological trauma, blackmail, and involvement in various illegal operations. In general, transferring money to a stranger is always a very serious risk, the expert emphasizes.
How to protect yourself from fraud schemes on the subject of marriage agencies
In order to protect themselves from the "romantic" schemes of scammers, experts interviewed by Izvestia advise following certain rules of cybersecurity. In particular, Khariton Nikishkin recommends critically evaluating any offers from marriage agencies. So, no serious agency will request prepayment for links from messages — this is almost a one hundred percent sign of phishing.
— It is important to check the company's history through open sources, study reviews and pay attention to website addresses — scammers often use domains imitating well—known brands, - says the expert. — The contract should be read carefully, especially the sections on liability and guarantees: the presence of clauses exempting the agency from obligations under the result should be alarming.
In addition, in no case should you transfer money to strangers with whom correspondence has begun on behalf of a potential partner — this is a classic sign of "romantic fraud." In addition, it is not necessary to immediately transfer communication beyond the dating site, recommends Kaspersky Lab expert Olga Altukhova. It is also not superfluous to install a security solution that will protect you from clicking on a phishing or scam link.
Technical protection measures include using separate cards for online payments with a minimum balance, enabling two-factor authentication, and being careful when clicking on links. At the slightest suspicion, you should immediately stop communicating and contact law enforcement agencies, saving all correspondence and transaction data, concludes Khariton Nikishkin.
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