HUNDREDS of Essex residents were among the victims of dating scams that cost UK victims over a quarter of a billion pounds in three years, according to new data released by Action Fraud.
In response to a Freedom of Information request sent by fraud recovery experts Action Fraud Claims Advice, the national reporting centre for fraud revealed that there were 21,976 reports of dating scams received between 2022/23 and 2024/25.
Based on self-reported losses, Essex victims parted with a collective £5,568,214 after being manipulated by scammers pretending to pursue a romantic relationship.
549 reports were traced back to Essex, making the average loss experienced by a victim in the region £10,142. That mean figure is only marginally below the UK average of £10,324 lost per case (not including Scotland).
Greater London was affected most by dating scams, with residents reporting more cases (2,635) and reporting more losses (over £47m) than anywhere else.
In total, reported losses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 2022/23 to 2024/25 reached a deeply concerning £271,430,524.
New data shows impact of dating fraud
Statistics collected by Action Fraud Claims Advice, which cover the period from April 2022 to March 2025, show a concerning rise in scam reports.
Action Fraud was contacted 8,122 times in 2024/25, a 17% increase on both 2023/24 (6,928 cases) and the financial year before that (6,926 cases in 2022/23).
Losses reached nine figures for the first time in a financial year, with the estimated total taken by scammers reaching a massive £102,239,843.
Men fell victim to the most scams, according to the reports. They flagged 10,634 incidents, losing £98,794,504. While women had fewer reports (8,892), they lost £145,559,718 at an average of £16,370 per incident–nearly twice as much as men.
The loss was even more stark for transgender victims, who were defrauded to the tune of over £1 million at a shocking average of £27,234 per recorded case.
According to Action Fraud, the average age for a fraud victim was 47 years old in 2022/23, rising marginally to 48 the year after, and 49 in 2024/25.
It is 30 years since Electric Classifieds launched Match.com, starting a wave of online dating platforms. While dating sites and apps are known to be used for scams like so-called ‘pig butchering’ operations, mentions of dating apps only came up in 6% of reports to Action Fraud.
Victims lose as much as half a million pounds–and more
While the average loss by report was around £10,000, many reported much higher losses. 533 people said between £50,000 and £100,000 was given to–or taken by–a scammer.
Another 390 said they lost between £100,000 and £250,000, with 101 more cases involving an estimated loss of between quarter of a million and half a million pounds.
57 people told Action Fraud that they were parted with £500,000 or more because of a dating scam.
JF Law is a leading British law firm whose fraud team helps scam victims, such as those who suffered the effects of dating fraud, with their efforts to recoup their lost funds.
A JF Law spokesperson told Action Fraud Claims Advice: “Dating fraud is a shameless and cruel crime, and unfortunately one which is being seen more and more in the UK.
“Fraudsters prey upon people’s trust and desire for companionship to line their own pockets. Nobody who falls victim to these scams deserves it.
“What they do deserve is sympathy and support with reclaiming their losses, which is what we do for people around the country every day.”
Fraud victims aren’t to blame, says expert
Action Fraud Claims Advice spoke to Lisa Mills, Senior Fraud Manager at Victim Support, earlier this year. Mills 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.
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”
Action Fraud Claims Advice is a fraud recovery advice service, where victims of fraud can be connected to an expert for support in reclaiming lost funds.
Victims of dating scams can contact Action Fraud by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk. They can also get in touch with Victim Support online or by calling 08 08 16 89 111.
