Dating Scams.

Online Dating and Romance Fraud: Warning Signs and Recovering Your Money

Romance fraud occurs when a criminal creates a false identity and forms an apparently genuine relationship with another person to obtain money, financial information or access to their accounts.

The fraud may begin on a dating website or application, but criminals also approach victims through social media, online games, professional networking sites and messaging platforms.

Romance fraud is not caused by stupidity or carelessness. Criminals can spend weeks or months building trust, affection and emotional dependence before requesting money.

How Serious Is Romance Fraud?

Romance fraud causes substantial financial and emotional harm across the UK.

Police figures published in 2026 showed that 10,784 romance-fraud reports had been made during the previous year, an increase of 29% compared with 2024.

Reported losses were approximately £102 million.

This is likely to understate the true scale of the crime because many victims feel embarrassed, blame themselves or remain convinced that the relationship is genuine.

Some victims continue sending money even after relatives, banks or the police warn them that they are being defrauded.

Who Can Become a Victim?

Anyone can become a victim of romance fraud.

Criminals may target people who are:

• recently separated or divorced;
• bereaved;
• lonely or socially isolated;
• looking for a long-term relationship;
• financially secure;
• living with an illness or disability;
• unfamiliar with online dating;
• professionally successful; or
• open about personal circumstances online.

The fraudster may study the victim's social-media profiles, interests, family background, employment and previous relationships before making contact.

How Does a Romance Scam Begin?

The criminal will usually create an attractive and convincing online identity.

The profile may contain:

• photographs stolen from another person;
• a false name and personal history;
• invented qualifications or employment;
• details designed to match the victim’s interests;
• claims of being widowed, divorced or lonely;
• a respectable occupation; and
• a reason for living or working overseas.

Common false occupations include members of the armed forces, doctors, engineers, oil workers, business owners and international aid workers.

These occupations provide a convenient explanation for why the person cannot meet, make ordinary telephone calls or access their own money.

The Grooming Process

Romance fraud normally develops gradually.

The criminal may:

• send frequent affectionate messages;
• claim that the victim is their soulmate;
• discuss marriage or living together;
• share apparently personal information;
• send gifts or flowers;
• contact the victim throughout the day;
• create a sense of emotional exclusivity;
• discourage contact with suspicious relatives; and
• make the victim feel responsible for their Welfare.

The criminal may declare love unusually quickly. This is sometimes known as "love bombing".

Constant communication can create a powerful emotional bond before the victim has met or independently verified the person.

Moving Away From the Dating Platform

A fraudster will often try to move the conversation from the dating service to private messaging, email or telephone contact.

This may reduce the chance of the dating platform detecting suspicious behaviour or warning the victim.

The criminal may claim that:

• their membership is about to expire;
• they rarely use the application;
• private messaging is more personal;
• the platform is not secure; or
• they want the relationship to become exclusive.

Moving to another platform is not proof of fraud, but it removes some of the protection and monitoring provided by the dating service.

The First Request for Money

The first request may be relatively small and linked to an urgent but believable problem.

Examples include:

• a medical bill;
• a stolen wallet;
• a delayed salary;
• an emergency flight;
• telephone or internet costs;
• a problem with a bank account;
• a visa or customs fee;
• an injured relative;
• a business payment; or
• travel costs to visit the victim.

The criminal may repay an early small amount or send the victim money obtained from another fraud to establish credibility.

Once the victim has made one payment, the requests often become larger and more frequent.

Why Are the Stories So Convincing?

Romance-fraud networks may use prepared scripts, forged documents and several people acting in different roles.

The victim may speak to someone claiming to be:

• a doctor;
• a lawyer;
• a customs officer;
• a bank employee;
• a diplomat;
• a shipping agent;
• a family member; or
• a business associate.

These additional contacts create the impression that the emergency is real and independently verified.

The criminal may provide false passports, hospital documents, bank statements, flight bookings, legal papers or photographs.

Common Romance-Fraud Stories

Common explanations used to obtain money include:

• needing funds to travel to the UK;
• being detained by customs;
• having valuable goods held at a port;
• requiring payment before an inheritance can be released;
• having wages or business funds temporarily frozen;
• needing urgent medical treatment;
• being unable to access a foreign bank account;
• needing legal fees following an arrest;
• requiring tax before an investment can be withdrawn; or
• needing money to complete a property or business transaction.

There will usually be urgency, secrecy and a promise that the money will soon be repaid.

Romance Fraud and Fake Investments

Romance fraud is increasingly combined with investment fraud.

After establishing trust, the criminal may claim to have made substantial profits from:

• cryptocurrency;
• foreign exchange trading;
• shares;
• commodities;
• precious metals;
• property investments; or
• an exclusive online trading platform.

The victim may be shown a professional-looking website or application displaying false profits.

Early withdrawals may be permitted to build confidence. Once larger sums have been invested, the victim may be told that further payments are required for tax, verification, or account release fees.

The investment and the relationship may both be entirely fictitious.

Warning Signs

Possible warning signs include:

• the person develops strong feelings unusually quickly;
• their profile appears unusually polished or glamorous;
• they claim to live or work abroad;
• they repeatedly cancel meetings;
• they cannot make a normal live video call;
• their voice, age or appearance does not match the profile;
• their personal details are inconsistent;
• they ask to leave the dating platform quickly;
• they discourage you from discussing the relationship with others;
• they ask for money, gift cards or cryptocurrency;
• they request access to your bank account;
• they ask you to receive and forward money;
• they promise repayment from an inheritance or investment;
• they become threatening or distressed when questioned; or
• each payment leads to another emergency.

One warning sign does not necessarily prove fraud. Several warning signs together should be taken seriously.

Never Send Money to Someone You Have Not Verified

Do not send money merely because you have exchanged photographs, spoken by telephone or participated in a video call.

Modern criminals can use:

• stolen identities;
• edited recordings;
• artificial intelligence;
• face-changing software;
• voice cloning;
• forged documents; and
• criminal associates acting as the person in the profile.

Meeting someone once also does not guarantee that the wider story is true.

Never send money that you cannot afford to lose and never borrow money, release pension funds or remortgage property for an online relationship.

Protect the Information You Publish

Information posted online can help a criminal construct a convincing approach.

Avoid publicly displaying unnecessary details about:

• your income or savings;
• your home and possessions;
• inheritances;
• bereavement;
• relationship problems;
• dates when you are away;
• family members;
• your date of birth;
• your address; and
• answers to common security questions.

Review the privacy settings on dating and social-media accounts.

Check the Person’s Identity

Reasonable checks may include:

• using a reverse-image search on profile photographs;
• checking whether the same photographs appear under different names;
• searching unusual phrases from their messages;
• checking their claimed employer independently;
• asking factual questions at different times;
• requesting a live video call;
• checking whether documents contain inconsistencies; and
• discussing the relationship with someone you trust.

Do not rely on contact information or websites supplied by the person. Verify organisations using independently obtained details.

Do Not Receive or Transfer Money for Them

A fraudster may ask the victim to receive money into their account and forward it elsewhere.

They may claim that:

• their account is temporarily unavailable;
• the money belongs to their employer;
• they need help completing a business transaction;
• they are sending money for the victim to keep; or
• the transfer is connected with an inheritance or investment.

The money may be the proceeds of crime.

Forwarding it could cause the victim's account to be frozen and may result in an investigation into money laundering or acting as a money mule.

Requests for Bank and Identity Information

Never provide an online contact with:

• online banking passwords;
• PINs;
• one-time passcodes;
• full card details;
• passport copies without a legitimate reason;
• driving licence details;
• National Insurance information;
• security answers; or
• remote access to a telephone or computer.

A criminal may use this information for identity theft, account takeover, loans or other fraud.

What Should You Do if You Suspect a Scam?

Stop sending money and end financial contact immediately.

Do not make one final payment to recover earlier funds. Criminals commonly claim that a final tax, customs charge or administration fee will release all the money.

You should also:

• contact your bank or payment provider immediately;
• report the profile to the dating or social-media platform;
• preserve messages and payment records;
• change compromised passwords;
• activate multi-factor authentication;
• check bank and credit-card statements;
• tell someone you trust; and
• report the fraud to the police reporting service.

Contact Your Bank Immediately

Speed is important.

Your Bank may be able to:

• stop a payment that has not completed;
• contact the receiving bank;
• freeze funds that remain in the recipient’s account;
• protect your account from further fraud;
• raise a reimbursement claim;
• replace compromised cards; and
• record vulnerability or additional support needs.

Use a trusted telephone number, such as the number on the back of your bank card or the Bank's official website.

Do not call a number supplied by the fraudster.

Can the Bank Refund a Romance-Fraud Payment?

Mandatory reimbursement rules introduced on 7 October 2024 protect many victims of Authorised Push Payment fraud.

Authorised Push Payment fraud occurs where a person is deceived into instructing their Bank to send money to an account controlled by a criminal.

Romance scams are included within the reimbursement regime where the qualifying conditions are met.

The rules generally apply to qualifying payments:

• made on or after 7 October 2024;
• sent from one UK account to another;
• made through Faster Payments or qualifying CHAPS payments; and
• made by a consumer, microenterprise or qualifying charity.

The Reimbursement Limit

The maximum mandatory reimbursement is generally £85,000 for each qualifying claim.

A payment provider may apply an excess of up to £100.

The excess cannot be applied where the customer is considered vulnerable under the applicable rules.

Some banks may choose to reimburse more than the mandatory limit or waive the excess.

Is Reimbursement Automatic?

No.

The Bank will investigate the circumstances and may ask for:

• the payment dates and amounts;
• messages exchanged with the fraudster;
• the reason for each payment;
• the warnings shown before payment;
• contact with bank staff;
• evidence of the claimed relationship;
• the date the fraud was discovered; and
• information about any vulnerability.

Claims may be refused in limited circumstances, including where the customer acted fraudulently or with gross negligence.

The standard is not ordinary carelessness. Romance fraud involves sophisticated psychological manipulation, and banks should consider the victim's individual circumstances.

Payments That May Not Be Covered

The mandatory reimbursement rules may not cover every loss.

Problems may arise where money was sent:

• to an account outside the UK;
• through cryptocurrency;
• using cash;
• through gift cards or vouchers;
• through an international money-transfer service;
• before 7 October 2024;
• between accounts controlled by the same person before being transferred onward; or
• outside the qualifying payment systems.

Other rights or voluntary reimbursement arrangements may still apply.

What if the Bank Refuses to Refund You?

Ask the Bank for a written final response explaining:

• why the claim was refused;
• which reimbursement rule was applied;
• what evidence was considered;
• whether vulnerability was assessed;
• whether the receiving bank was contacted; and
• how to make a complaint.

A complaint may be made through the Bank's formal complaints process.

If the complaint is not resolved, it may be possible to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, subject to its eligibility requirements and time limits.

Legal advice may be appropriate where the loss is substantial or the Bank failed to respond to obvious warning signs.

Reporting Romance Fraud

Action Fraud in December 2025.

People in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can report fraud through the Report Fraud online service or by calling 0300 123 2040.

People in Scotland should report fraud to Police Scotland by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency.

Call 999 where:

• there is an immediate threat to safety;
• the fraudster or an associate is nearby;
• violence or blackmail is taking place;
• the victim is being threatened; or
• a crime is currently in progress.

What Evidence Should Be Preserved?

Keep copies of:

• dating profiles;
• messages and emails;
• telephone numbers;
• usernames;
• photographs;
• voice messages;
• video-call details;
• bank statements;
• payment confirmations;
• cryptocurrency wallet addresses;
• gift-card numbers;
• documents sent by the fraudster; and
• details of any associates.

Do not alter the original material. Screenshots should show dates, account details and the surrounding conversation where possible.

Do Not Warn the Fraudster About the Investigation

Once the bank orBankice are involved, avoid telling the fraudster what steps are being taken.

A warning may allow the criminal to:

• remove remaining funds;
• delete accounts;
• destroy evidence;
• change telephone numbers;
• threaten the victim; or
• target the victim using another identity.

Follow advice from the bank orBankestigating authority.

Recovery Scams

Victims are often targeted again by criminals claiming that they can recover the lost money.

The person may claim to be:

• a solicitor;
• a police officer;
• a fraud investigator;
• a government official;
• a bank employee;
• a cryptocurrency recovery specialist; or
• a claims-management company.

They will usually request an advance fee, tax payment or access to the victim's bank or cryptocurrency account.

Do not pay an unsolicited person to recover fraud losses without independently verifying their identity and regulatory status.

Blackmail and Intimate Images

A romance fraudster may obtain intimate photographs or videos and threaten to send them to family, friends or employers unless money is paid.

This is sometimes described as sextortion.

Do not assume that paying will end the threats. Further demands commonly follow.

Preserve the evidence, report the account, contact the police and seek specialist support.

Do not forward intimate material to other people merely to explain what happened.

The Emotional Effect of Romance Fraud

Victims may experience:

• grief;
• shame;
• anxiety;
• depression;
• loss of confidence;
• family conflict;
• financial hardship; and
• difficulty accepting that the relationship was false.

The emotional loss can be as damaging as the financial loss.

The victim may feel that a real relationship has ended, even though the person's identity was invented.

Victims should be treated with dignity and should not be blamed for the criminal's conduct.

Helping a Relative or Friend

Directly ridiculing or confronting a victim may cause them to become more isolated and dependent on the fraudster.

It may be more effective to:

• remain calm;
• listen without judgment;
• ask how the identity has been verified;
• point out inconsistencies gently;
• suggest speaking to the bank together;
• help preserve the evidence;
• encourage a temporary pause in payments; and
• obtain specialist fraud advice.

The fraudster may already have warned the victim that relatives will try to separate them because they are jealous or do not understand the relationship.

Can a Solicitor Help Recover the Money?

A solicitor may assist where:

• a bank has refused reimbursement;
• the receiving account can be identified;
• urgent freezing action may be possible;
• a payment provider failed to follow fraud warnings;
• substantial assets have been transferred;
• property was sold or remortgaged;
• loans were taken out;
• the victim is accused of money laundering;
• identity theft has occurred; or
• the fraud involves several jurisdictions.

Recovery can be difficult where money has been transferred overseas, converted into cryptocurrency or moved through numerous accounts.

Early action offers the best prospect of tracing or freezing funds.

Possible Civil Claims

Depending on the circumstances, legal proceedings may involve:

• fraud or deceit;
• unjust enrichment;
• breach of trust;
• claims against recipients of misdirected funds;
• claims against professional intermediaries;
• banking disputes;
• freezing injunctions;
• disclosure orders; and
• international asset tracing.

A successful court judgment does not guarantee recovery if the criminal cannot be identified or has no accessible assets.

Protecting Yourself When Dating Online

Basic precautions include:

• keep initial conversations on the dating platform;
• avoid publishing detailed financial or personal information;
• use a separate email address for dating accounts;
• do not send money or cryptocurrency;
• never allow remote access to your device;
• do not receive or transfer money for another person;
• verify photographs and employment claims;
• tell a friend about the relationship;
• be cautious about rapid declarations of love; and
• report requests for money to the platform.

The Most Important Rules

Never assume that emotional intimacy proves identity.

Never send money to an online partner because of an urgent crisis without independent verification.

Never transfer money on behalf of someone whose financial arrangements you do not fully understand.

If money has already been sent, contact the bank imBankately. Delay may reduce the chance of stopping or recovering the payment.

Finding a Fraud or Banking Solicitor

Use the search facility at the top of this page to find a solicitor experienced in fraud, banking disputes, civil recovery, freezing injunctions or identity theft.

Disclaimer

Solicitors.com is not a firm of solicitors. This article provides general information about romance fraud in the United Kingdom and does not constitute legal, financial or cybersecurity advice. Reimbursement and recovery rights depend on the payment method, dates and individual circumstances.

Feedback

If you believe this page contains an error or requires updating, please get in touch with us. We welcome amendments that help keep our legal information accurate and useful.