Romance Scam Statistics UK 2026: The Complete Data Report

This is the data-led article in the safety pillar. Every statistic below includes its source so journalists, researchers, and concerned daters can cite this page with confidence.

Romance fraud is one of the fastest-growing crime categories in the United Kingdom. The figures above represent only the cases that are actually reported — the true scale is estimated to be 10–20 times higher. Shame, embarrassment, and a belief that nothing will be done prevent the vast majority of victims from coming forward.

The financial impact is devastating, but the emotional toll is often worse. Victims describe feelings of betrayal, depression, and isolation that can persist for years after the scam ends. Understanding the data is the first step toward protecting yourself and others.

The year-by-year trend reveals a striking pattern. After a COVID-19 lockdown spike in 2020/21 — when millions turned to online dating — reported cases and losses plateaued before surging again in 2024/25.

The 2024/25 spike is driven by three factors: increased reporting awareness following high-profile media coverage, more sophisticated AI-enabled scams that fool even cautious users, and the explosive growth of cryptocurrency-based romance fraud where losses per victim are significantly higher.

Sources: UK Finance, Action Fraud, National Fraud Intelligence Bureau. Some years are estimates based on partial data. Actual losses are believed to be significantly higher due to underreporting.

A common misconception is that romance scam victims are exclusively elderly or technologically unsophisticated. The data tells a different story. The highest volume of reports comes from people aged 40–59 — working professionals who are active on dating platforms and social media.

Women report approximately 60% of cases, but men lose higher average amounts per incident. Recently divorced or widowed individuals are disproportionately targeted, as scammers exploit the emotional vulnerability that often accompanies major life transitions.

Social media and dating apps are the primary contact channels, with Facebook, Instagram, and Tinder being the most commonly cited platforms in victim reports. However, scammers increasingly operate across multiple channels, initiating contact on one platform before moving the conversation to WhatsApp or Telegram.

Romance scams have evolved far beyond the stereotypical "Nigerian prince" email. Modern scams are sophisticated operations that often involve teams of people, AI-generated content, and complex financial infrastructure.

The fastest-growing category is the crypto/investment romance scam — sometimes called "pig butchering." The scammer builds a romantic relationship, then introduces a supposedly lucrative cryptocurrency investment opportunity. Victims are encouraged to invest increasing amounts before the platform disappears with their money. Average losses in this category are significantly higher than traditional romance fraud.

Sextortion — where intimate images are used as leverage for blackmail — is also growing rapidly, particularly among younger male victims aged 18–30. Military impersonation scams, while declining in proportion, remain prevalent, with scammers posing as deployed soldiers to explain why they can never meet in person or make video calls.

Proportions are estimates based on Action Fraud and NCA reporting. Categories overlap in some cases.

International comparison reveals that romance fraud is a global epidemic, not a uniquely British problem. The United States leads in absolute losses at $1.3 billion (FTC, 2024), but Australia reports the highest average loss per victim at approximately A$57,000 — reflecting the prevalence of high-value crypto investment scams in the Australian market.

The UK's position as second in total losses reflects both the size of its online dating market and the sophistication of scams targeting British victims. However, cross-border comparison is complicated by different reporting periods, methodologies, and definitions of what constitutes "romance fraud" versus other fraud categories.

Direct comparisons are approximate due to different reporting periods, methodologies, and currencies. Exchange rates as of February 2026.

AI sophistication. Scammers now use AI to generate realistic photos that pass casual inspection, write personalised messages at scale, and even conduct short deepfake video calls. The barrier to running a convincing scam has dropped dramatically. A single operator with the right tools can manage dozens of fake profiles simultaneously, each with a unique AI-generated face and tailored messaging.

Cryptocurrency. Crypto payments are harder to trace and nearly impossible to reverse. The growth of "romance-to-investment" scams — where the scammer builds a relationship before introducing a fake crypto investment opportunity — is driving higher average losses. Victims often don't realise they've been scammed until they try to withdraw their "profits" from a platform that never existed.

Underreporting. The ~5% reporting rate means the true scale is likely 10–20x higher than official figures. Shame, embarrassment, and a belief that nothing will be done prevent most victims from reporting. Many victims also don't recognise what happened to them as fraud — particularly in cases where no money was directly requested, but they were manipulated into making "investment" decisions.

The UK government has taken several steps to combat romance fraud, though critics argue the response remains inadequate given the scale of the problem.

• Online Safety Act 2023 — places obligations on platforms to tackle fraudulent content, including fake profiles used for romance scams. Ofcom is the designated regulator with enforcement powers.
• Action Fraud reform — the government's modernisation programme aims to improve reporting, victim support, and case follow-up. A new National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre launched in 2025.
• NCA awareness campaigns — the National Crime Agency runs annual romance fraud awareness campaigns, typically timed around Valentine's Day, to educate the public about red flags.
• Confirmation of Payee — banking sector initiative that checks whether the name on a bank transfer matches the account holder, adding a layer of protection against misdirected payments.
• Voluntary industry initiatives — some dating platforms have introduced verification features, but most still don't require identity verification, leaving significant gaps in user protection.

Smooch's five-layer verification system — government ID, credit card authentication, email breach validation, AI photo detection, and human moderation — directly addresses the tactics scammers rely on.

A scammer needs a fake ID, a valid credit card, an established email address, real (non-AI) photos, and must pass human review. This makes the cost and difficulty of creating a single fake profile significantly higher than on platforms with no verification. The economics of scamming simply don't work when each fake profile requires this level of investment.

While no system is 100% scam-proof, layered verification shifts the balance of power away from scammers and toward genuine users. Platforms that choose not to verify their users are, in effect, providing a free operating environment for romance fraudsters.