New figures from City of London Police, the National Lead Force for fraud, show that more than £106 million was lost to romance fraud in the UK last year, with more £407,923 lost in Suffolk across 114 incidents. Data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) reveals a national 9% increase in romance fraud reports in the past year financial year, with a 1.2% increase in Suffolk. On average, victims nationally lost £11,222. Detective Superintendent Oliver Little, from the City of London Police, said: "Romance fraud isn’t just a financial crime—it’s a deeply personal betrayal that can leave lasting emotional scars. For the second consecutive year, male victims have slightly outnumbered females, challenging outdated stereotypes about who is affected by these scams. Despite this, stigma still surrounds romance fraud victims, often driven by misconceptions that they are foolish or lack judgment. In reality, criminals use sophisticated tactics to manipulate emotions and gain trust, making anyone vulnerable. We want to remind everyone that romance fraud can happen to anyone, regardless of gender or background. If something doesn’t feel right in an online relationship, take a step back, verify identities, and seek advice. Speaking up can not only protect yourself, but also help prevent others from falling victim and bring those responsible to justice." Breaking outdated stereotypes, national data reveals that — for the second consecutive year — male victims slightly outnumber female victims, challenging the misconception that romance fraud primarily targets elderly women. However, while more men reported cases, female victims tended to lose larger sums of money. The 50-59 age group experienced the highest financial losses, totalling £22,108,334. This demographic is particularly vulnerable as they often have greater financial resources, are still in the workforce, and may be experiencing personal life changes such as divorce, separation, or the loss of a partner, making them prime targets for fraudsters. One key tactic used by scammers is ‘love bombing’, where fraudsters overwhelm victims with excessive affection, manipulation, and emotional control to create dependency. Intelligence gathered by City of London Police suggests that nearly twice as many female victims engaged with suspects for a year or more compared to males. Romance fraud isn’t just about losing money — it’s about emotional betrayal, psychological harm, and the erosion of trust. City of London Police urges the public to question suspicious relationships, verify identities, and protect both their hearts and their bank accounts.
How to stay safe from romance fraudsters:
- 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 is 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 important that you do 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; or
- agree to receive and/or send parcels on their behalf (laptops, mobile phones etc.)