700 'romance fraud' reports made in South Yorkshire over last five years as data shows cases on the rise

Romance fraud occurs when a victim is duped into thinking they have met the perfect partner online either through a dating app or social media, but the perpetrator is not who they say they are, and are, in fact, hiding behind a fake profile or false identity.

Data gathered by Action Fraud Claims Advice - not to be confused with the national reporting centre - show that between January 2020 and December 2024, over 700 romance fraud cases have been reported in South Yorkshire.

There were 94 reports sent to Action Fraud in 2020, a figure which took a worrying rise to 155 the year after.

2021 proved to be the worst year for reports, as the number dropped to 127 in 2022. That was followed by 132 South Yorkshire residents flagging romance fraud in 2023, and a further 144 doing the same last year.

The difference between the number of cases reported in 2023 and 2024 equates to a rise of nine per cent.

Action Fraud reports suggest predatory dating scammers may have cost the UK public more than £400m in financial loss across just five years.

Data gathered by Action Fraud Claims Advice - not to be confused with the national reporting centre - indicates that nearly 40,000 crime reports were submitted between January 2020 and December 2024.

Victim Support is an independent charity that offers specialist help for victims of crime, including fraud. The charity told Action Fraud Claims Advice, a fraud claim advice service, that the psychological effect of romance fraud should never be overlooked.

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Lisa Mills, Senior Fraud Manager at Victim Support, said: “Romance fraud is a devastating crime. For victims, it isn’t just a question of losing large sums of money. The psychological and emotional impact of being deceived by someone you trusted deeply can knock your confidence and sense of self-worth enormously.

“Sadly, there is so much shame and stigma around romance fraud, with many victims too embarrassed to open up to their friends or family about what has happened, leaving them even more isolated.

“If you have been a victim, you are not to blame – fraudsters are skilled manipulators who use social engineering to manipulate thousands of people every year.

“Get in touch with Victim Support for free, confidential support via our 24/7 Supportline [08 08 16 89 111] or live chat service.”

Action Fraud Claims Advice is a new support service that offers free advice to victims of romance fraud. It works with fraud recovery experts who are experienced in helping clients reclaim lost funds.

Victims of dating scams can contact Action Fraud by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.