Report Fraud received 12,093 reports of dating scams in the past 13 months, with losses totalling £119.6m. This type of fraud, where scammers aim to trick people into fake relationships, can have a huge emotional and financial impact.
Our experts have laid out five signs of a romance scammer, including how to spot stolen images online and the tactics these fraudsters use to build a connection with potential victims.
Source: Which? (12 Feb 2026)