Romance fraud reports have surged, costing UK victims over £400m in five years, new data shows.
The financial impact of dating scams in the UK has exceeded £400m over the past five years, with reports of romance fraud rising by 27%, according to new figures from Action Fraud Claims Advice.
Between January 2020 and December 2024, nearly 40,000 crime reports were classified as ‘dating fraud’, with victims suffering an estimated total loss of £409.7m. The true cost is likely to be even higher, as many cases go unreported.
Sharp increase in romance fraud cases
Dating fraud involves scammers deceiving victims into sending them money, often through catfishing tactics on dating sites, social media, or online forums. Action Fraud Claims Advice found that reports surged during the COVID-19 lockdowns, with 2021 seeing a peak of 8,678 cases – a sharp rise from the 6,712 recorded in 2020.
Data suggests that romance fraud is a year-round threat, with no specific seasonal spikes beyond a one-time increase following Valentine’s Day in 2021.