Most trouble on adult sites does not start at a meeting. It starts with a message: a "deposit" to secure a date, a link to a "verification" page, a threat after a chat went quiet. This guide lists scams that police and consumer warnings across Europe describe again and again, the red flags that give them away, and where to report them in your country. It is written for visitors and for advertisers. Adults only.
Scams that target visitors
The deposit trap. A profile, often with model-like photos, agrees to everything quickly and then asks for a deposit, a "booking fee" or a "driver fee", usually by gift card, crypto or a transfer to a private account. After payment, a second fee appears, then silence.
The fake verification link. You are asked to "verify you are not police" or "confirm you are over 18" on an outside site that wants card details. Real age or identity checks never require a stranger to collect your card.
Stolen photos. The pictures belong to someone else, taken from a social media account or another site. A reverse image search often finds the original.
Blackmail (sextortion). After you exchange messages or photos, someone claims to be a "manager", an angry partner or even police and demands money to stay quiet.
Scams that target advertisers
Fake "staff" messages. Someone pretends to be from a platform, a bank or a delivery service and asks for a login code, your ID or a payment to "unlock" your account. Never share an SMS code with anyone.
Overpayment tricks. A "client" sends too much money and asks for a refund of the difference; the original payment is later reversed.
Agencies that charge upfront. Offers of "guaranteed bookings" in exchange for a fee, your passport or a share of earnings. These can also be signs of exploitation.
Red flags at a glance
Payment requested before any meeting, especially by gift card or crypto
Pressure: "decide now", "others are waiting"
A move to another app straight away, before basics are agreed
Photos that look professional and appear under several names or cities
Stories that change: a new fee, a new driver, a new reason
Anyone asking for your login codes, ID documents or bank details
What verification on Eros Dates does, and does not, tell you
Advertisers who verify send an official ID and a selfie in which they hold that ID and a sheet with a unique code. Our team checks this by hand. A verified badge means the ID was valid, the person is at least 21, as our advertiser rules require, and the face matches the document. It does not prove that every photo is recent, that someone is available, or that the person you are chatting with is honest about payment. Compare the face, check last online, keep first messages on the platform and never send money to someone you cannot verify.
If it already happened
Stop paying. A second request is almost never the last.
Keep evidence: screenshots, profile URL, phone numbers, payment receipts.
Contact your bank or card issuer at once if you paid or shared card details.
Report the profile through Report abuse or Customer support.
With blackmail: do not pay, stop replying, keep the messages and report it to the police.
Where to report in Europe
In an emergency, call 112 anywhere in the EU. For scams and exploitation:
Country | Scam or fraud | Exploitation or trafficking |
|---|---|---|
Netherlands | Police report (online or 0900-8844); Fraudehelpdesk 088-7867372 | Meld Misdaad Anoniem 0800-7000 |
Belgium | Local police; ConsumerConnect; forward suspicious messages to suspicious@safeonweb.be; Fraudstop 078 170 170 if you shared card or bank details | Specialised centres Payoke, Pag-Asa and Sürya |
Germany | Police online report (Onlinewache of your state), 110 | Hilfetelefon "Gewalt gegen Frauen" 116 016 |
France | Info Escroqueries 0 805 805 817; PHAROS for illegal online content | Police: 17 in an emergency |
Spain | Police; INCIBE helpline 017 (advice, not a report) | Policía Nacional 900 10 50 90, trata@policia.es; Guardia Civil 062 |
Portugal | Police (PSP or GNR) | Trafficking support line 964 608 288; APAV 116 006 |
Rules differ by country, from municipal permits in the Netherlands to registration in Germany; our sex work laws in Europe guide gives an overview. Please also report any profile that looks underage, coerced or controlled by someone else.
Sources
Last checked: 30 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Politie.nl: https://www.politie.nl/informatie/slachtoffer-van-internetoplichting-doe-aangifte.html
Fraudehelpdesk: https://www.fraudehelpdesk.nl/contact/
Meld Misdaad Anoniem: https://www.meldmisdaadanoniem.nl/anoniem-melden/
Safeonweb (incl. Fraudstop 078 170 170): https://safeonweb.be/nl/wat-verdachtsafeonwebbe
ConsumerConnect (FPS Economy): https://consumerconnect.be/nl/meld-ons-iets
Myria, reception centres for victims: https://www.myria.be/fr/traite/centres-daccueil-pour-les-victimes
Internetwache Polizei NRW: https://internetwache.polizei.nrw/
Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Frauen: https://www.hilfetelefon.de/gewalt-gegen-frauen/menschenhandel/
Info Escroqueries: https://lannuaire.service-public.gouv.fr/centres-contact/R13147
INCIBE 017: https://www.incibe.es/ciudadania/atencion-telefonica
Ministerio del Interior, how to report trafficking: https://www.interior.gob.es/opencms/es/servicios-al-ciudadano/trata/como-denunciar/
gov.pt, support for trafficking victims: https://www.gov.pt/pt/servicos/pedir-apoio-para-as-vitimas-de-trafico-de-pessoas
APAV 116 006: https://apav.pt/linha-de-apoio-a-vitima-116-006/
Short version
Never pay a deposit to someone you cannot verify, never share login codes, and treat pressure as a red flag. Keep evidence, report the profile to us and the scam to the police or the channels above. Eros Dates is a DIY marketplace operated by Business Investment Group B.V. and works under the GDPR. We are not a party to any meeting. Visitors 18+; advertising from 21.