Match CEO doesn’t care if you fall victim to a romance scam

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When it comes to online dating, trust is everything. But when it comes to romance scams on Match.com, some feel the company’s leadership is doing more harm than good.

According to reports, Match Group CEO Bernard Kim has shown a disturbing lack of empathy for victims of these scams.

When asked about the rising prevalence of romance scams on his platform, Kim responded dismissively, saying, get ready for this: “Things happen in life.”

“Look, I mean, things happen in life,” Kim told CBS when asked what he would tell customers who have fallen victim to scams. “That’s really difficult. I have a tremendous amount of empathy for things that happen, but I mean, our job is to keep people safe on our platforms; that is top foremost, most important thing to us.”

As expected, this callous attitude has sparked widespread outrage. Laura Kowal, a 57-year-old widow who lost $1.5 million to a scammer on Match.com, is just one of the many victims left in the wake of Kim’s indifference.

Kim’s dismissive attitude toward romance scams contrasts sharply with Match Group’s public statements. Match Group claims to take the issue seriously by investing in technology and partnerships to combat fraud.

But are they really? Critics argue that this emphasis on profit over people is exactly what enables scammers to thrive on the platform.

The consequences of romance scams are soul-crushing. It’s one thing to get duped out of a relationship, but it’s an entirely different beast when they take you for every penny you have.

Victims often feel a deep sense of betrayal and loss, not only of their financial resources but also of the genuine connections they hoped to find on dating sites.

As the FTC reports, romance scammers are master manipulators, using carefully crafted lies and emotional manipulation to steal both hearts and wallets, not to mention all the time and effort that goes into scamming people for money.

So, what can be done to hold Match and other dating platforms accountable?

Advocacy groups are calling for greater transparency and stricter enforcement of safety measures. They argue that CEOs like Bernard Kim must be held responsible for the well-being of their users, not just their bottom line.

As the FTC warns, romance scams are rising across all dating platforms. Until Match and other dating companies genuinely commit to protecting their users, they risk becoming company-wide scams.

For the victims of romance scams on Match.com, the CEO’s dismissive attitude betrays their trust in the platform and its leadership. As long as profit is put before people, the scammers will continue to win—and the victims will keep losing.

Do you know anyone who has fallen victim to a romance scam? Share their story below or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.