Victims of romance fraud in the UK lost more than 102 million pounds last year, according to new figures from the City of London Police published in May 2026.
According to the City of London Police, 10,784 reports of romance fraud were made to Report Fraud in 2025, a 29 percent increase compared with 2024. Overall losses work out at almost 280,000 pounds every day, with individual victims losing an average of 9,500 pounds, and some individual losses reaching as high as 1 million pounds.
Detective Superintendent Oliver Little said romance fraud is particularly harmful because it targets trust and emotional connection, according to the City of London Police. Offenders will often spend significant time building what appears to be a genuine relationship before attempting to exploit their victim financially, he said, adding that the emotional impact is often just as damaging as the financial loss.
According to Sumsub's report on the same figures, almost half of the total losses came from victims aged 55 to 74, men submitted the highest number of reports, and women incurred the greatest financial losses. Police have also noted increased use of AI-generated images and messages to support false identities, according to the City of London Police.
Police urge daters to watch for warning signs, according to the City of London Police: unsolicited affection from strangers online, excuses to avoid video calls or in-person meetings, and sudden investment pitches. A second opinion from a friend or family member can help, police say.
Photo: Love padlocks on Juist, Germany (file photo). Photo by Dietmar Rabich, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.