"Online dating can be a fantastic experience for those seeking love, but these large online communities also make them an attractive target for scammers," Dempseysaid.
"With the popularity of online dating services on the rise in New Zealand, Valentine's Day has become more appealing for scammers looking to cash in on people searching for that special someone."
The survey found only 13 per cent of New Zealanders had experienced catfishing, or being tricked into a romantic online relationship with someone who has a fake identity online.
It also found that 55 per cent of online daters spent one or more hours on dating sites each day and 43 per cent lied by exaggerating or misrepresentation in their profiles, often touching up a photo or changing information to make themselves more appealing.
Weight (35 per cent) is the information New Zealanders are most likely to stretch the truth about, followed by job (34 per cent) and photo (33 per cent). Kiwis are least likely to lie about their age (23 per cent).
More than one in five dates (21 per cent) use online dating platforms to send potentially compromising photographs or videos to strangers, putting them at risk of having them released publicly without their consent.
The survey, by Norton by Symantec, was carried out in October last year.
Tips for online dating
Create a username and password that you have not used on any other accounts
Set up a separate free email account to use solely with your dating account
Be sure to choose a reputable, well-known service
Join a paid site where it is likely there will be more legitimate daters and less scammers
