The £400 million crisis hiding in plain sight: Romance fraud in the UK

Between January 2020 and December 2024, nearly 40,000 UK residents reported being victims of romance fraud. Their combined losses exceeded £400 million.

Those are just the reported cases. The true numbers are certainly higher—romance fraud is notoriously under-reported because victims often feel ashamed to admit they were deceived by someone they trusted.

This isn't a niche problem. It's a community safety crisis that's getting worse.

The scale of the problem

The numbers from 2024 are alarming:

• Romance scam reports increased 20% in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024 (Barclays data)
• Average losses reached £8,000 per victim in 2024, up from £5,800 in 2023
• Victims aged 61+ lost an average of £19,000 each
• Reports increased 9% year-over-year, with losses exceeding £106 million
• 43% of dating app users have been targeted by a romance scam

The City of London Police reports that romance fraud reporting is now at some of the highest levels to date.

Who gets targeted

The stereotype of romance fraud victims is wrong. This isn't just lonely elderly people being fooled by obvious scams.

According to Action Fraud data:

• 51% of victims who disclosed their gender were female, 49% male
• Middle-aged individuals (50-59) report the highest number of cases
• But victims range from under 10 to over 90 years old

Barclays data shows men actually make up a higher proportion of romance scam volume (60%) and total losses (57%) in 2025. Men are almost three times more likely than women to consider sending money to someone they're in an online relationship with but haven't met in person.

London is the worst-affected area with over 5,168 cases reported, but no region is immune. Devon and Cornwall has seen reports nearly double in five years.

How it works

Romance fraudsters are patient and sophisticated. They:

1. Build trust over time. The Barclays data shows 39% of victims had been communicating with fraudsters for less than a month when asked for money—but many relationships go on for months or years before the ask.

2. Create fake emergencies. Top reasons scammers give for needing money include fake emergencies (32%), travel costs (26%), and medical bills (26%).

3. Exploit psychological vulnerabilities. Scammers create urgency and put pressure on victims to act quickly, bypassing rational evaluation.

4. Use AI and deepfakes. The "AI Brad Pitt" case—where a French woman lost €830,000 to someone impersonating the actor using AI-generated images—shows how technology is making these scams more convincing.

The emotional devastation

Lisa Mills, senior fraud manager at Victim Support, emphasises that the impact goes far beyond money: "For victims, it isn't just a question of losing large sums of money. Many experience profound feelings of shame and embarrassment."

Victims lose not just their savings but their sense of judgment, their ability to trust, and often their willingness to seek connection in the future. The psychological harm can last years.

Why technology has to be part of the solution

85% of romance fraud cases start online. That means online platforms—social media, dating sites, messaging apps—are the primary vector for this crime.

The Online Safety Act 2023 is beginning to put pressure on tech companies to take greater responsibility. Platforms are required to conduct risk assessments, and penalties for non-compliance can reach £18 million or 10% of global turnover.

But regulation alone won't solve this. We need technology that actively helps potential victims identify risks before they're harmed.

What we're building with Swipe Safe

Swipe Safe Community is our attempt to create protective infrastructure against romance fraud:

Verification tools that help users check whether images and stories match reality, without requiring them to already suspect fraud.

Early-warning pattern recognition that identifies common scam tactics before significant harm occurs.

Survivor story sharing that helps people recognise tactics they might not identify on their own.

Bank and platform collaboration to create feedback loops that improve detection across the ecosystem.

The goal isn't to make people paranoid about online relationships. It's to give them tools to verify trust rather than assuming it.

What you can do

If you're concerned about romance fraud—for yourself or someone you know:

1. Stay on the dating platform until you're confident the person is genuine. These platforms have some moderation.

2. Reverse image search profile photos. Scammers often steal images from other social media accounts.

3. Be suspicious of early requests for money, especially for emergencies, travel, or medical bills.

4. Talk to someone you trust before sending money to anyone you haven't met in person.

5. Report suspected fraud to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040) and your bank.

If you've been a victim, remember: it's not your fault. Fraudsters are skilled manipulators. Contact Victim Support (08 08 16 89 111) for free, confidential help.

Romance fraud is a £400 million crisis. Technology helped create the conditions for it. Technology should help solve it.