Could you spot a romance fraudster?

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, and the number of victims of romance fraud continuing to rise, find out how to keep yourself safe from online scammers...

What is romance fraud?

Romance fraud occurs when criminals make their victims think that they have met the perfect partner online - but they are using a fake profile to form a relationship with them. 

Romance fraudsters are masters of manipulation and go to great lengths to create a false reality. They provide information early on that seems harmless and normal, such as details about their home and work life. This information is then used later as evidence to support their story and makes any requests for money seem legitimate. Fraudsters can use Al to make their claims more realistic, including the use of Al-generated images or videos.

In reality, the fraudsters have groomed and manipulated their victim into believing that they are in a romantic relationship with them, and appeal to their good nature to give them money when they declare they need help. These requests might be highly emotive, such as criminals claiming they need money for emergency medical care, or to pay for transport costs to visit the victim if they are overseas. They may even isolate their targets from family and friends so they do not seek help or advice.

While anyone can be a victim, reports are highest among those aged 50-59, though 65-74 year olds often face the highest financial losses.

The impact

In the 2024/25 financial year, over £106 million was lost to romance fraud in the UK, marking a significant increase and reflecting a growing, cruel crime.

Data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau reveals a disturbing 9% increase in romance fraud reports in the past year, with 9,449 reports made in the 2024/25 financial year. 

On average, victims, often targeted on social media or dating apps, lost an average of £11,222 per person, with some individual losses exceeding £2.6 million - proof of the emotionally devastating and financially ruinous impact of these crimes.

But romance fraud isn’t just about losing money - it’s also about emotional betrayal, psychological harm, and the erosion of trust. Victims suffer immense emotional and psychological distress, often feeling too ashamed to report the crime. 

How to stay safe from romance fraudsters

Briefly: the best advice is never to send money or personal details to someone you've only met online.

• If you have met someone via a dating app, stay within the messaging function of the application. Don’t feel pressured to hand over your mobile number and move the conversation over to SMS or a messaging platform like Whatsapp or Telegram.
• Be suspicious of any requests for money from someone you have never met in person.
• Be cautious about how much personal information you are sharing online and who you are sharing information with.
• Speak to your family or friends to get advice and perspective. Fraudsters will subtly isolate you for their own purposes.
• Profile photos may not be genuine. Performing a reverse image search can find photos that have been taken from somewhere, or someone, else.

It's important that no matter how long you’ve been speaking to someone online and how much you think you trust them, if you have not met them in person, it’s wise to not:

• Send them any money, even in the form of gift cards.
• Allow them access to your bank account.
• Transfer money on their behalf.
• Take a loan out for them.
• Provide copies of your personal documents, such as passports or driving licenses.
• Invest your own money on their behalf or on their advice.
• Purchase and send the codes on gift cards.
• Agree to receive and/or send parcels on their behalf (laptops, mobile phones etc.).

Useful links

• Are you a victim of romance fraud?

If you think you’ve been a victim of a scam, don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed - you are not alone. Contact your bank immediately and report it to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via reportfraud.police.uk. If you are in Scotland, please report to Police Scotland directly by calling 101.

• Here at Crimestoppers, we have run several campaigns targeting romance fraud. We also have pages here on our website with tips on how to avoid and stay safe from romance fraud:

See our Keeping Safe page

Protecting yourself from romance fraud - 8 tips from a former fraudster

• The latest information and videos:

Stay up-to-date

13 February 2026