The study seeks to illuminate the causes and effects of fear of victimization from online romance scams, treating it as a form of psychological stress that matters for both individuals who date online and the platforms that host dating interactions. By contextualizing and testing a theoretical view of the negative psychological factors linked to online romance scams, the work examines how these factors influence the broader domain of positive psychology within online dating. The aim is to clarify which psychological mechanisms drive fear, how they unfold, and what consequences they bear for users’ dating experiences and for platform design choices intended to support a constructive and safe online dating environment. Methodologically, the research adopts a developmental mixed-method design. It begins with a qualitative phase conducted under a positivist framework, followed by a quantitative, survey-based phase. The study then integrates