Scam safety
Dating Scams in the UK: How to Spot One
The signs to look for, who to tell if something feels off, and what to do if money has already gone.
A dating scam is a made-up persona, usually online, that builds trust and then asks for money. Report it to Report Fraud (which replaced Action Fraud) at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040, or to Police Scotland on 101. Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person, and tell your bank at once if you have.
The basics
What counts as a dating scam?
City of London Police describes the pattern: a made-up person builds trust and emotional connection over time, then asks for money.
Report Fraud, the police reporting service that replaced Action Fraud in December 2025, describes dating fraud as tricking someone, often online, into a fictitious personal connection in order to win their trust and exploit them financially. The National Crime Agency says it can happen to anyone, and can be especially convincing when you’re looking for connection or company.
City of London Police, which runs Report Fraud, said in May 2026 that 10,784 reports of this kind of fraud were made in 2025, up 29 per cent on 2024, a rise police think may partly reflect more people reporting. People across the UK lost more than 102 million pounds, and those aged 55 to 74 lost the most.
The pattern
How a dating scam unfolds, and where it slips
It starts warm and fast
Big feelings, early. City of London Police lists a bond that forms very quickly, or strong emotion shown early on, as a warning sign, and has seen more AI-generated images and messages used to make fake identities convincing.
They want to leave the site
A suggestion to carry on over WhatsApp or email, soon after you start chatting. The Online Dating and Discovery Association, the dating industry’s trade body, says that lets a scammer “pitch for money without any trace”.
The meeting never happens
There is always an excuse. City of London Police names dodging meetings and live video calls as a red flag. Strangely, the drink never gets arranged.
Then the story, and the ask
An emergency, a travel cost or an investment: City of London Police lists all three. Report Fraud says never to send money, vouchers or cryptocurrency, and Which? warns that some scammers ask you to pass money through your own account.
Pressure and secrecy
Hurry, and tell nobody. Report Fraud advises caution with anyone who asks you not to tell people about them.
Before you get attached
Checks that take five minutes
- Search the photos. Upload a picture to Google, or right-click it in Chrome and pick Google Lens. Report Fraud also names TinEye. A clean result is only a first step, says the trade body.
- Ask for a live video call. City of London Police counts excuses for avoiding one as a red flag.
- Run it past a friend. A second opinion catches what feelings miss.
- Keep early chat on the site. A dating service can do little once you have left it, says the trade body, so chat with singles inside the site first.
- Think before sending intimate images. Police Scotland says misusing them, or threatening to share them, is a crime even if you sent them willingly.
Not sure whether the person is real at all? Our guide to what catfishing is goes through the signs. For opening lines that stay friendly without oversharing, try the profile and first message tips, or browse the rest of our dating guides.
If it has happened
You have sent money or images: do this now
You are not to blame.
Report Fraud says so, and police say every report helps them disrupt offenders.
Money first: ring your bank on the number on your card, or 159 if your bank uses it. Say you have been scammed and where the money went. The sooner they know, the more they can do.
Images and threats: do not pay. Police Scotland advises saving the messages, blocking the sender and reporting it to the site and the police. Adults can use StopNCII.org, a charity tool that works with participating platforms, to limit the spread.
| What happened | Who to tell | How |
|---|---|---|
| You paid, or fear your account is exposed | Your bank | The number on your card, or 159 if your bank uses it |
| You want the fraud on record | Report Fraud, or Police Scotland if you live in Scotland | reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040; in Scotland, 101 |
| Someone is threatening you | The police | 999 if anyone is in immediate danger, otherwise 101 |
| The profile is on a dating site | The site itself | Block and report in the app |
| You need someone to talk to | Victim Support | Confidential, at no charge; in England and Wales call 08 08 16 89 111 |
Keep screenshots, usernames, dates and payment details to hand. Be wary of anyone who later offers to recover your money: the government’s fraud advice says genuine agencies never charge upfront fees.
On the site
How Forget Dinner makes life harder for scammers
A dating site can’t read minds, but it can make the usual tricks harder.
Off-site alerts
A warning appears if a chat starts steering towards an app such as WhatsApp.
Behaviour monitoring
Software looks for unusual activity on accounts.
Block and report
Blocking is instant, reporting is easy, and both happen inside the site.
Optional checks
ID verification adds a profile badge, and a live video check with a moderator needs no documents.
Rules on money
The terms rule out soliciting money from other members, and profiles can’t carry phone numbers or web links.
People on call
Human support runs around the clock.
The terms are also clear that criminal background checks aren’t run, and that profiles and messages may not be genuine. The safety page lists every tool, and the legit guide covers the rest of the terms.
The law
What the Online Safety Act expects of dating apps
Ofcom published guidance aimed at dating services in May 2026.
The Online Safety Act 2023 makes services where people create profiles and message strangers legally responsible for keeping UK users safe, even if the company is based abroad. Ofcom, the regulator, says dating platforms carry a higher risk of fraud, intimate image abuse and sextortion, and harassment and stalking. Its basic measures for every service in scope include:
- Terms and conditions that are easy to find and understand.
- A complaints tool for reporting illegal or harmful material, with a process behind it.
- The ability to review content and take it down quickly if it may be illegal.
Where adult content is allowed, Ofcom also requires highly effective age checks to keep under-18s away from it. Forget Dinner is for adults only and uses age assurance: an AI age estimate, with further checks where the law requires.
Ofcom says it cannot investigate individual complaints, so report to the service first. You can still tell Ofcom if you remain concerned.
Dating scam questions, answered
What is a dating scam?
It is fraud that usually starts online, often on a dating site, app or social network. The fraudster poses as someone else, wins trust over days, weeks or months, then asks for money for an invented reason. Which? describes the same pattern, and police list emergencies, travel costs and investments as the usual excuses.
How do I report a dating scam in the UK?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, report it to Report Fraud online or on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. If anyone is in immediate danger, ring 999. If money has gone, tell your bank first, and report the profile to the dating site too.
Can I get my money back after a dating scam?
Sometimes, depending on how you paid. Call your bank straight away: for bank transfers, the government’s fraud advice says the bank will try to recover the funds and in many cases reimburses you. Cash, vouchers and wire transfers are much harder to recover. If your bank refuses, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
How can I tell if a dating profile is fake?
No single check settles it. Search the photos with Google or TinEye, ask for a live video call, and watch the behaviour: strong feelings shown very early, dramatic stories and excuses for not meeting are the patterns police and Which? describe. Treat a clean image search as a first step only.
What does the Online Safety Act mean for dating apps?
Services where users message strangers must keep UK users safe, and Ofcom regulates them. It expects clear terms, a way to report illegal material and quick takedown, and says dating platforms carry a higher risk of fraud. It can’t investigate individual complaints, so report to the app first.
Chat first, meet when it feels right
Keep early conversations on the site, use block and report whenever you need to, and let things build at your pace.
Start chatting